Lyra Black and the Wizarding World
by lumosmancer
Summary: On 1st September, Lyra Adelaide Black suddenly enters the Wizarding World with no knowledge as to who she is or who her family are. Making friends along the way, Lyra starts her magical journey into the world in which she truly belongs but the growing discovery of her small secret may not be as innocent as she thinks it is...
1. Prologue

**I have, once again, re-done this. This is gonna be the last time I swear! Thank you for reading and if you're re-reading (I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!) Thanks for all of the support guys, as well! My writing is slowly improving so I hope you like! :)**

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_"Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here! No – what about Sirius and Giselle Black, they're his godparents, for goodness sake!" The Professor cried and Dumbledore sighed, adjusting his crooked hat._

_ "If only he could, dear Minerva."_

_ Professor McGonagall frowned and stared at the headmaster before the reply sunk in. She gasped and shook her head._

_ "But... No – it simply cannot be true!" Dumbledore nodded and looked sadly at the starry sky._

_ "I'm afraid that Lord Voldemort destroyed two families this terrible evening. The body of Giselle Black was found at their residence and the evidence of Lord Voldemort's involvement is astronomical." Professor McGonagall blinked and shook her head, her mouth gaping like a goldfish out of water. _

_ "I-Impossible… And the others?"_

_ Dumbledore sighed and gave her a kind expression._

_ "Sirius Black was the one who found his wife's body though the incident of him fleeing the scene and heading to the Potter's has not been dealt with well with others. Witnesses have been spoken to and most are incredibly angry." The melancholy in his voice was dire for his overall point. _

_ "But Sirius would be worried not only for his family but for his friends. Potter and Black were like blood brothers-," McGonagall stuttered but Dumbledore sighed._

_ "Of course, it would seem that way but the body of their daughter wasn't found at the cottage nor was she found at the Potter's nor anywhere else for that matter. She simply disappeared off the face of the earth - no body to be buried, nothing for her father to mourn over. I am unsure of the child's whereabouts myself unless… No, no more dreary topics tonight." There was a hefty, hesitant silence and Professor McGonagall wiped her tears then shuddered._

_ "This… I cannot believe that they're gone."_

_Soon, Hagrid arrived with the poor boy and the necessities were doubt with. They stared at the orphan and heaved a great sigh. Hagrid was on the verge of tears and Dumbledore tried to comfort him._

_ "Now Hagrid, this isn't goodbye forever. Is it?" said Dumbledore with the kindest of smiles._

_"I guess not," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice. "I'd best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall an' – Professor Dumbledore, sir?"_

_Dumbledore looked up at Hagrid at his questionable tone. "Yes?"_

_ "B'fore I forget, when I left Godric's Hollow an' the Muggles were around the cottage, they were bringing bodies out of the house an- and I think yer the best person to deal with James and Lily," said Hagrid in a thick voice. Dumbledore nodded and thanked him for the information._

_Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night. The Professor bid a quick goodbye and left Privet Drive with a swish of their heavy cloaks._

_Nobody knew of the second travesty that was occurring at that very moment._

* * *

"We found a body!"

These were the first words out of the fire-fighter's mouths as they entered the burning house where flames and debris was scattered throughout. A horde of firemen rushed into the house while others ran for an ambulance but the trouble of being in such a small village, the nearest hospital was miles away in the centre of London. The house was the living definition of defeat. Bricks and beams were scattered everywhere and the windows were glassless. It was clear that a huge explosion had caused this mess.

The men eventually dragged out the damaged corpse of a lanky man with dishevelled black hair, a pair of broken glasses and a nasty burn on the side of his face where he fell too close to the fire. Many of the men had never dealt with the dead during a job before and the reality of it hit them hard.

"I've never noticed this house before," One of the fighters croaked over the orders and calls from the working men. Smouldered wood and spikes of glass tried to slow their work but it wasn't long till the men reached the second body lying in a bedroom upstairs. The woman was found with her flaming red hair sprawled around her body like she was born from the inferno around her. They knew she was a lost cause as she lay beneath the rubble like a broken statue.

"Jesus Christ…" murmured a fire-fighter as he attempted to safely clear the bedroom where the red-head was found. It was very difficult as the ceiling was bound to collapse at any second yet his boss told him to check for any others. There were signs around the house that the dead couple had a child but nobody could find him or her.

The man had moved a stubborn piece of wood when he spotted a tiny hand sticking out from behind the remains of a baby cot. His stomach pulsed and his hands began to sweat as he hurried, calling for back-up the second he saw a girl no older than two slumped in the corner of the room. Her short ebony hair was singed from the fire and the dark ash stained her pale skin but her chest shallowly moved, drawing little oxygen from the smoky room.

"She needs to go to the hospital now!" shouted the fire-fighter as a pair of paramedics lowered her onto a hospital bed. It was disturbing for many of the onlookers, both professional and locals, to see a girl as young as two lifted into the ambulance with nobody there to worry or to care.

The fire-fighters weren't sure whether she was the dead couple's daughter but it didn't take a genius to work out that it was a very plausible possibility.

London was raring even during the late night. The ambulance hurried to the nearest hospital to treat the young girl but the paramedics inside the vehicle were worried as to where the young girl was going to go.

"Do you reckon she has extended family? Someone is bound to be able to look after her," muttered one as he boosted the rate of oxygen for the unconscious girl. The other shrugged and scratched his moustache.

"Possibly but we don't have any details on her. We don't know who she is, or where she came from – Christ, you heard the firemen – they were sure they'd never seen the house before tonight!" The first paramedic rubbed his heavy eyes.

"Someone is bound to know who she is," He replied and the other simply shrugged and turned away.

"I would bet a tenner, no, one hundred quid that not one person knows who that girl is. No one will call the hospital, trying to find out about her and whether she's okay. she came all the way from that place with no one at their side. We're the only one's here, John," mumbled the paramedic and John, his partner, frowned sadly and caught his eye. He dropped his gaze and watched the unconscious infant as she lay strapped in the bed, padding by thick pillows since she looked so small in the cot. He traced her injuries with his eyes and shook his head.

"It's nice to have hope, mate. I know the chances are slim, they always are! Look at us, we deal with this type of shit every day and not once do you come out and assume the last resort but now... This girl is about two years old and here we are, debating about the probability that any of her family will find her. It's nice to have a bit of hope," said John.

The pair remained completely silent until they came speeding into the hospital's Accident and Emergency car park.

A couple of doctors ran out as the paramedics unloaded the child and they explained the situation. The check-up was smoother than expected as the child suffered from minor injuries from a fall of some kind and a possible sore throat from the smoke but the strangest thing they found was a bizarre disfigurement on her hip bone. They transferred her into the childrens' ward and watched her through the night for some development. The rate of survival for anyone in a situation like that of which she was found in that unnaturally low but she seemed to battle through tremendously. Most of the night was spent looking up any connections the girl could have had, any family at all... but they found nothing. Nobody tried to contact them, desperately concerned for their niece, granddaughter or goddaughter, and all searches stopped by the morning.

The young girl finally woke up early the next day. The autumn sun was casting thin shadows on the hospital bed where she slept. The childrens' ward in the hospital was commonly found to be busy so it was no surprise that the whining and cries from the other children woke her up. She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the unnerving drawing of sea creatures on the dull ceiling. It was expected for her to be frightened. She had no idea where she was, after all. One of the nearby nurses noticed that she was awake so she approached the newest patient with her classically warming smile.

"Hello, sweetheart. Are you ok?" questioned the nurse, softly. The girl began to hyperventilate and panic when she didn't recognise the nurse's face but the nurse was trained to deal with situations like this. All she could give her was soft words and a kind, motherly sense of security but the way the girl was staring at the nurse wasn't what she was expecting. Most patients took to the welcoming but this was not the case. She was absolutely terrified.

"It's ok, darling. I'm a nurse and I'm here to take care of you. Now, I just need you to take some of this yummy medicine and then we can have a little chat," explained the nurse hurriedly. She thought about her words and frowned slightly as she unscrewed the medicine top. Could the girl speak yet? Was she too young?

The nurse spooned out a sickly sweet medicine and fed it to the girl who at first rejected it. She licked her lips and perked up at the taste of the medicine but when she stared back at the nurse, her bright eyes began to tear. The nurse admired the beautiful shade of grey but her first concern was calming the girl down. She scribbled down the notes of how the patient was reacting and she knew not to take the patient's matters personal but she had never seen a girl as young as her suffering so badly. The girl was clutching her head, almost drawing blood. The nurse tried to calm her down but she knew she needed to ask her the questions.

"Now honey, what's your name?" inquired the nurse once the girl had calmed down slightly. Hopefully, the child would at least know her own name. The patient stared back at her with her eyes wide in fear. She sniffed and shook her head.

"Do you remember your name? Any name?" she repeated, her pen pressing against the notepad unnaturally hard. Again, the young girl shook her head.

"…Do you remember anything?" The nurse had dropped her voice and the girl opened her mouth and let her tears roll down her cheeks.

"No," she whispered.

The nurse returned to the doctors with her scarce notes and tried to explain to them how badly the girl was reacting. They talked for ages, trying to think of the best possible outcomes but they had no other choice. Nobody knew the girl when they asked in the village she came from – it was like she had never existed until today. The nurse was rather attached to the girl so she made the decision for her colleagues. Nobody had ever had to do something so drastic before.

"I'll call the local orphanage and take her there."

* * *

The first of November was rather blustery but the nurse didn't mind the wind and rain. She liked to get away from the hospital for a while but this wasn't a case she particularly wanted to experience. She buttoned up her coat and got the young girl ready for her transfer to her new home. The nurse borrowed one of the strollers and escorted the girl to the local orphanage that lived on the outskirts of Camden.

_Cole's Orphanage_ had a nice reputation for being a suitable and clean home for family-less children and it was recommended by a few of the doctors who lived nearby. When the nurse reached Rowstock Gardens, she felt at ease to see the large townhouses in the square, all neat and proper. Cole's sat at the end of the square's side and it was visibly wider than the other houses around with a bold sign sitting among the hedges. It must have taken up at least three ordinary houses to create the perfect home for the orphans. The nurse climbed the steps and knocked smartly on the glossy emerald door.

A stringy woman with tight black curls and prickly blue eyes opened the door and smiled at the nurse, opening the door wider to welcome her and the young girl inside.

"Ah yes, come in dear," said Mrs Wicks, the head carer at _Cole's Orphanage._ The nurse thanked her and ushered the girl inside. The entrance hall was comfortably tall, the ceiling above missing and replaced by three wide flights of stairs. Photographs of children and carers alike lined the walls and doors led them here and there. The lights flickered as the pair entered the building.

Mrs Wicks led the nurse into her office and offered her to take a seat. the nurse watched as Wicks poked the fireplace behind her, making the dying embers fire up for the last time. A steaming teapot sat on her desk. "Tea, my dear?" asked Wicks and the nurse nodded. She took her cup politely and began to discuss with situation with Wicks but her mind was still with the girl who was napping her the stroller.

"Thank you very much for taking her at such short notice," graced the nurse as she sipped her cup of tea. Mrs Wicks nodded and leant on her desk, her fingers laced together.

"It's my job, dear. Of course, the situation that the girl was found in… I couldn't refuse. Only a heartless monster would refuse her a new home in circumstances like these. It is strange, isn't it? I was told she doesn't remember anything?" pondered Mrs Wicks.

"Not a dicky bird, not even her own name," sighed the nurse sadly. "I'm not sure how well she can speak. She was in too much shock to try and talk to us but we know the accident will slow her speech process. The medication we'll supply you with will help speed her healing process but if you have any problems with her development in anyway, please call us."

Mrs Wicks nodded and shuffled around with the documents on the desk. "Yes, yes… terrible. I've never had to deal with such a case before but she'll be safe here at _Cole's._ We must go over the confidentiality documents before anything else, especially with her position."

The nurse agreed and sat forward to read the papers. The hospital had requested that the girl isn't to know of the state she was found in as the traumatic stress will cause her potential harm. It was the doctor's code and there were no exceptions.

"If she is to ask when she is older, you can only tell her of her parents. Naturally she will be curious as to what happened but you cannot tell her about her personal case," explained the nurse seriously and Mrs Wicks nodded with her face grave.

"Of course, it's understandable. Is there anything about her case that we should know about? You mentioned her sore throat and minor injuries but is there anything else?" inquired Wicks as she wrote up an accident report with the girl's new birth certificate file. The image of the girl's hip disfigurement popped into her head but the doctors never labelled it as a problem. It would scar her, yes, but it was from a scolding piece of metal. She shook her head and Mrs Wicks signed the papers off.

The documents flew by without a problem and it was time for the nurse to leave the girl in the care of Cole's Orphanage. She wished the carer a pleasant day but she couldn't see the girl again, even though she wanted to. She had grown strangely attached to her youngest patient. She had agreed to not let herself get her emotions mixed up in the case, the doctors ordered her to be professional, but the nurse left the orphanage with tears streaming down her face.

Evening came and Mrs Wicks completed the forms without a single problem. It was strange, however, when she came to personal information for the girl as she had no name. As head carer, she was required to deal with these things but she had never had to name a child before. Sucking on the end of her pen, Mrs Wicks read and re-read her writing before finally deciding on a name for the girl.

"What'cha name her then?" One of the other carer's asked when Mrs Wicks entered the living room for the nightly round of tea and biscuits and she rubbed her heavy eyes. All the children were in bed and it was the only time all of the carers could sit and drink tea in peace.

"Did you keep to the Cole rule?" asked another with an arched brow and Mrs Wicks nodded. There was an unwritten rule that those with no family name take the Cole name. This applied to most of the children who refused to keep their birth family's surname.

"Of course I did. Her name is Grace Cole," announced Mrs Wicks. She felt satisfied with the name of the newest orphan but she couldn't help but say it was a heavy heart. The carers nodded and gossiped away about the girl who slept sounded above their heads.

_It is very odd how everything can change in a matter of hours._


	2. The Big Bully

**Edited: 20/10/2014 :)**

* * *

The first of September was the busiest day of the year for the residents of 'Cole's Orphanage'.

'Cole's Orphanage' was a local orphanage located in Central London that was known for being respectable and smart. It sat between numbers 19 and 23 Rowstock Gardens, a part of a neat square full of plain, large townhouses but if you glanced at the square, you could hardly tell that the orphanage was there. The only give-away was a sign on the trimmed hedge in front of the house. It hadn't changed in ten years.

The neighbours overlooked the orphanage; it was never a big concern of theirs. The children were polite and quiet, rarely causing trouble in Rowstock Gardens (but that couldn't have been said for the surrounding streets). The younger kids didn't like to cause problems but it was a different situation for the older kids. They loved to run amok the streets of London whenever they could, as long as they were old enough, of course.

The sky was miserable today, matching the moods of the children around the country who were getting ready for the first day of school. Parents were packing their kid's lunches and the schools were counting down the minutes until the school gates were open for the New Year.

Inside the orphanage, it was no different.

"Grace! You're late!"

Grace Cole groaned and shoved her paintbrush into a pot, making the paint splatter onto her clean, white blouse. She frowned and bit her lip, staring at her now ruined top but she hid the stain by buttoning up her oversized, third-hand blazer. She actually liked the grey and violet uniform of her new school, it was an improvement on the ghastly mustard yellow she had to wear to her primary school. Being an orphan, she didn't have any say when it came to uniforms. The kids all had to share, the older kids nabbing the best pick of the clothes as they were less-used but the younger kids had to deal with the leftovers.

However, this time was different. Grace was attending a new secondary school which was a little further out of the city. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet – she couldn't wait to go there.

"Grace! Last call or else you'll be very late!" The voice shouted up the stairs and Grace took one last look in the mirror before leaving her squashed bedroom. She had the smallest bedroom on the third floor but she didn't mind, she adapted it to fit her perfectly. It was different, like her.

When she glanced in the mirror, an exhausted but excited girl stared back. Her school uniform sagged against her body but it didn't help that she was slender for her age. Grace had thick, long raven hair, startling grey eyes that were often framed by a black eye or two (Grace had a bad habit of never backing down in a fight) and a lot of freckles dotted over her nose. She was fair skinned but it was more than likely to find paint of all colours staining the surface though she quite liked it, they made her feel pretty and happy and she refused to clean it off until absolutely necessary.

Another thing that was commonly found on Grace were injuries whether it be a small cut or a long-lasting bruise given to her by the older kids both from the orphanage and around the block. She had grown to develop thick skin against the beatings but Grace was never afraid to fight back. All she could do was defend herself since she had nobody do it for her. That was the problem of being an orphan – she had no-one.

Grace let her hair drape over her black eye, adjusting it so the bruise was hidden, and sprinted for her bedroom. She jumped down the stairs, two at a time, and arrived in the hallway panting and smiling.

One of the carers walked over to Grace and smiled, leaning down to her eye level. This carer was Miss Greene, the youngest carer out of the many that worked at the orphanage day and night. Grace loved Miss Greene more than anyone in the whole world.

She was her favourite person.

Miss Greene was a pretty woman around the age of 24 with short, golden brown ringlets, a bright smile, soft hands and a skill at always knowing what to say at the right time. She was the only person Grace knew who sincerely cared about her because she was the one who dealt with her problems when the others brushed her aside, telling her off for starting scraps with other kids. Miss Greene actually liked Grace and let her stay up that little bit later to finish a book or snuck her one extra biscuit during dinner for walking away from yet another insult from the other children.

It was sad, Grace thought, that she considered Miss Greene to be her only friend in the whole world.

"What took you so long?" asked Miss Greene, trying to look assertive, and Grace shrugged, hoping that she was hiding the paint stains well.

"Uh, I lost my pencil case," she lied and Miss Greene glanced down at her blazer. Arching an eyebrow, she went to inspect Grace's blouse but Grace panicked and crossed her arms, sending Miss Greene a cheeky grin.

"Grace," Miss Greene began. "What's that on your blouse?"

"No, I haven't got paint on my blouse, how dare you accuse me of making a mess!" exclaimed Grace jokingly and Miss Greene failed to stifle her laugh.

"That shirt was clean and ready for you last night but now look at it," she tutted but her hands caught Grace's chin and inspected her face. Grace's breath hitched as her hair fell away from her eyes, revealing yet another black eye. Miss Greene's smile fell immediately and she dropped her voice to a whisper.

"What happened this time?" She asked and Grace gulped, feeling uncomfortable.

"It's nothing, I promise. It was, uh, a misunderstanding," She mumbled, jerking her head out of the familiarly soft hands but Miss Greene frowned, looking earnestly concerned. It was never a misunderstanding – Miss Greene knew the reputation Grace had around the other kids.

One of the older kids had stolen Grace's sketchbook the previous night but it wasn't one of her regular sketching books, it was a personal notebook of hers. The drawings and painting inside were private and only she was allowed to look at them. She would see things in her dreams or thoughts and they intrigued her so she replicated them onto paper. One image always cropped up and she didn't want anyone to see it.

But alas, the children found it and threatened to rip the book apart, finding her reaction amusing. It was safe to say that Grace came off with the least injuries.

"This is the fifth time this month! This is not a misunderstanding," Miss Greene said but Grace smirked.

"Technically this is the first time this month since it's the first of September but please, just write up that I slipped or something," Grace pleaded, knowing her carer would have to write up an injury report. Miss Greene frowned and went to reply when she heard one of the other carers directing the children outside. Pursing her lips, Miss Greene rolled her eyes and escorted Grace out of the house, not saying another word. Thankful, Grace gladly left 'Cole's' for her first day at school.

The school Grace was going to was different to everyone else she knew of. They were all going to the local comprehensive down the road while she was attending a friendlier one away of the area. This was to be her fresh start and, with a bit of luck, she might be able to make some friends for the first time in her life.

Grace swore to herself not to linger over the fact that she never had someone to confide in with all of her secrets and fears but she had grown up that way, being the outcast and an after-thought. She focused on her art, books and films, using the characters she made out of paints, read about in books and watched on the television screen as her friends.

But she couldn't deny that finding friends today would be something special.

"Are you excited to go to your new school?" asked Miss Greene as she took Grace's hand. London was an incredibly busy city and it was the carer's responsibility to look after all of the children. Grace nodded and barely glanced as the other carer's shepherded the other kids to their new school. As soon as they passed the seemingly popular school, Grace felt a huge weight lift from her chest and she sighed happily.

"Very excited," she finally admitted, letting herself smile as she and Miss Greene descended down into the nearest Underground station. The morning rush hour bustled along and the pair joined it, jumping into the train with the crowds. Miss Greene watched Grace carefully and tilted her head, thinking about something important but Grace pretended not to notice.

"This is good, you know, going to a new school. Imagine all the new friends you'll make!" said Greene excitedly and Grace nodded, trying not to stare at a man with green spiky hair for too long. She smiled and looked up at Greene. "Yeah, it's going to be great."

"And hopefully," added Greene, "I won't have to pick you up from school after receiving a phone call from your head teacher about you fighting the other kids."

Grace bit her lip and nodded. "This time it will be different. The people at this school won't know me, they're not from the same area, I think."

Miss Greene nodded and smoothed Grace's hair out of her eyes. "Yes." There was a moment's hesitation and Greene cleared her throat, lowering her volume.

"Listen, Grace ...Have you received anything strange over the past weeks?" She asked and Grace frowned.

"Like what?"

Greene fidgeted. "Like a letter of some sorts, perhaps?"

Grace shook her head and rocked on the balls of her feet, moving with the lurching Underground train. "Nope, no letters. Why? Should I have gotten one? Was it about my new school? Is everything ok?"

Greene shook her head, looking out of the train window as they were about to arrive at their final stop. "Everything is fine. No reason, not to worry."

Grace and Greene walked through the streets, discussing the prospect of Grace's first day of school, and Grace felt her stomach thud when she saw it finally loom ahead. It was a collection of old buildings that took up a couple of blocks but the grounds were closed off by a thick, tall iron fence. Gulping, Grace approached the open gates and dropped her carer's hand. A surge of nervousness hit her and she took a deep breath.

"Don't panic. You're going to have a great day and you're going to make loads of new friends. Think of this as a fresh start, ok? I want to hear all about it when we meet later," assured Greene.

"I know, I know. I'm ok," said Grace. Greene smiled, sniffing slightly and nodded. She stood up straight and crossed her arms.

"One more thing," added Greene. "Try not to get into any trouble."

Grace laughed and agreed. "I don't get into trouble, trouble usually finds me."

Leaving Miss Greene behind as she half-laughed, half-cried, Grace entered the schools grounds and looked around. Kids from the age eleven to eighteen were milling around, laughing and chatting to each other about their summer holidays or the hope of a good year at school. Grace chewed on her bottom lip, searching for someone to talk to. That's what she should do – find someone who could be her first ever friend. The nerves tittered and she shivered, grabbed the straps of her bag and began to walk further into the playground. A few people glanced at her, some of them looking just as awkward as she felt, but finally Grace spotted someone to talk to. A girl her age sat on the edge of a bench, looking around nervously and Grace nodded to herself.

"You can do this, Grace. Just walk over there and introduce yourself," she whispered and breathed out.

But as soon as she took two steps, she heard something that made every hope explode into a thousand pieces.

This explosion was caused by Rachel Madden.

"Look who it is! It's the _freak_!" shouted Rachel and Grace froze, staring at the ground in fear. The name sent tingles down her spine and she shuddered, the familiar sensation of repulsion making her feel sick.

She shouldn't have been here. Rachel went to a different school, the other school that Grace specifically requested not to attend. The usual pressure of anxiety settled over her and she couldn't breathe. This shouldn't have been happening on her first day of school. Grace wanted a relaxing and stress-free day, talking to people who knew nothing about her. This was her fresh start, her new page and Rachel had stomped all over it in dirt. She felt herself tremble when she chewed her lip nervously and turned around to see Rachel Madden with her own eyes. A part of her prayed that she had imagined the teasing but the big bully stood behind her as though made of pure gold.

Rachel was tall for her age of fifteen. Her eyes were wide with glee and her teeth were bared in a sadistic sort of smile. Rachel was always happy to see Grace but it was never for a happy reason – ever. Rachel's usual crowd of friends were standing behind her, looking incredibly smug with their selves considering it was pretty low to be teasing a girl four years their junior.

"What are you doing here?" blurted Grace, sounding stronger than she felt. Rachel blinked and took a step forward, almost doubting her own hearing.

"Excuse me? I came over to welcome you and this is the greeting I receive? Be grateful, you little nerd." Grace absorbed the insult and hid her smile behind her loose hair. It was rather pathetic compared to 'freak'.

"You don't go here, you said you went to the other school near our house-," asked Grace a little louder than before but Rachel snarled and lurched forward, seizing the front of Grace's uniform. She pinched her skin and Grace winced, struggling to get out of her tough grip. Rachel's face had turned red and blotchy.

"Don't _ever _call your snivelling dirt hole my home. You're the Cole kid, I'm not. You're nothing like me. I'm not a filthy freak like you," whispered Rachel and her breath brushed Grace's bare neck. She shuddered at the sensation and managed to yank Rachel's hand off of her. She glared at Rachel and shook her head, slowly backing away from the bully.

"Please, Rachel, stop this. We can't do this today," she urged and Rachel took a moment to sort herself out. She looked Grace in the eye and laughed at her words.

"Why not, Grace? It's your first day, your first day of big girl school. I only want the best for you, why shouldn't everyone know who you _really_ are? I'll introduce you, shall I?" said Rachel loudly and Grace noticed the stares. Rachel was beginning to draw a crowd and in the centre of the circle was Grace. It was always Grace.

She stared around at the unfamiliar faces and tried to keep her dignity.

"I don't need your help, I'll be fine all by myself," called Grace but Rachel and her friends weren't listening.

"Go on, Rachel!" one of the girls cheered.

"Tell 'em who she is!" Another one jeered, pointing at Grace. She felt like a circus lion, trapped in a cage for heckling strangers to stare at. She tugged on her bag straps and tried to ignore Rachel but it was as if Rachel's voice grew louder with every word. She loved the attention, she loved being right, being the hero in the situation. She was the normal one compared to Grace.

And for some reason, everyone always agreed with Rachel – except Miss Greene.

"Listen everyone, I want you all to meet a very special person. This is Grace Cole, one of _Cole's_ snivelling orphans. It's her first day of school today and I just want to share with you the real facts," announced Rachel loudly and the circle's rim thickened. More and more people were curious to find out who Grace was. Frantically looking for an exit, Grace spotted the face of the girl she was going to approach before the assault started. Her fresh face soon blended in with the countless others in Grace's past who instantly turned on her once branded as the 'freak'.

"Rachel, please," begged Grace but Rachel was too focused on the attention to respond to her plea.

"This orphan is a freak. I warn you now that she's a good-for-nothing, slimy mutant freak who deserves everything she gets. This dirty orphan-,"

"You're an orphan too, Rachel! You're as much as a _Cole_ kid as I am!" interrupted Grace loudly, pushing against her chest. The crowd 'ooh'ed and edged Rachel to fight back. Rachel blinked and stared at Grace, processing what had just happened. Her words happened to be the oxygen needed to fuel her fire.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT?!" screamed Rachel and she pushed Grace to the floor. Her palms hit the gravel and scraped off a few layers of skin and flesh. She gasped and wiped the dirty blood droplets that were forming on her skirt but when Grace looked up, Rachel kicked her straight in the chest.

The breath was knocked straight out of her and both her skull and spine smacked the floor simultaneously. The sharp blows sent ice cold shivers of pain through her entire body and she stared dazedly up at the greying sky. The kids surrounding laughed and cheered Rachel on for her attack. One a handful screamed for Grace to fight back.

Struggling to sit up, Grace stared at Rachel and sighed, instinctively biting her lip out of sheer habit. Rachel _was_ an orphan.

Her single mother died a few years back, leaving Rachel and her younger sister homeless and family-less. They were separated and sent to different houses across the city which only enraged Rachel more. Grace once overheard that Rachel's sister had been adopted but the family refused to let the Madden sister see each other. Grace told Rachel and offered her a shoulder to cry on but Rachel refused the sympathy, so Grace tried another method.

She plucked a dying flower from one of the wild bushes in the orphanage's garden and revitalized it with brighter petals and a healthy spruce of life. It was her talent, she thought, it was bound to cheer her up… But Rachel freaked out and beat up Grace, earning her a busted lip, missing teeth and a bruised eye.

"But you are an orphan, just like me," said Grace, wincing at the stabs in her chest and Rachel glowered, staring at her on the floor bitterly.

"I'm nothing like you. You're such a freak Grace – everyone deserves to know what you can do. It's not normal and one day, when your freakiness stops, you'll thank me for this." Rachel stormed over, yanked Grace onto her knees and punched her square in the face.

The kids went wild, laughing and clapping for Rachel who had successfully drawn blood from two parts of Grace's body.

Grace lay on the floor, refusing to cry, as she messily wiped up her blood. It splattered her blouse and merged with the paint though Grace could hardly tell the difference. Gritting her teeth, she scrambled to her knees and thought of Miss Greene. If she were here, she would stop this and help her. She was always on her side, no matter what. But kneeling there, trapped by cackling monsters who were having the time of their lives laughing at violent bullying, made her wonder where the teachers were? Why weren't they stopping this?

"You always fight back, Grace! Why aren't you fighting back? You're a coward and a freak!" laughed Rachel. Her friends high-fived her for weak insult, snickering as though it was the best thing they had heard.

"Someone, please, help me!" cried Grace, angry that she had finally given in to her tears but nobody bothered to step in, to say that this was enough. A harsh wind picked up and it began to rain but none of the students cared. Grace wiped a couple of raindrops off of her forehead and felt her lungs rasp as she breathed.

"Fight back, Grace!" shouted Rachel again.

As usual, Grace had to be her own hero, like the ones in her books. She had to fight her Smaug, defend her kingdom, save Atlantis, just like all of the heroes she wished she was. Shaking and feeling sick, Grace gingerly climbed onto her feet and growled at Rachel.

"FIGHT BACK!" screamed Madden and Grace roared. She lunged at Rachel and shoved her onto the floor, both of them collapsing on the floor. The onlookers were having a field day as they back to chant 'Fight! Fight! Fight' and the two girls brawled viciously on the floor. Neither of them knew whose fists or feet were whose but soon, a few teachers tried and failed to break the circle of students.

Grace pushed Rachel's face into the gravel and yanked her hair out of her face, disgusted at the bully. Breathing heavily, Grace crawled away from Rachel and jumped as a rumble of thunder released the heavy downpour of rain. She stared at Rachel as she climbed to her feet and pulled a face as she wiped the mingling dirt, rain and blood from her face. They all looked an absolute mess but they didn't care.

Rachel's baby blue eyes darkened as they darted to Grace's abandoned bag that lay inches from her feet. Without thinking, Rachel grabbed the bag and tore it open, grinning manically at her second option of provocation.

"Don't touch that!" gasped Grace when she saw her sketchbook in Rachel's hands. Scrambling to her feet, Grace watching fearfully and the pages were beginning to get drenched by the rain. Rachel opened the book and held it out in front of her.

"Hurting you never gets through to you, Freak, but this might," She spat and tore the heavy, damp pages in half. Grace's mouth went dry and her head began to pound when the ruins of her precious art was thrown at her feet. She stared at Rachel who soaked in the applause and cheers from the onlookers yet the worst hadn't happened, Grace simply knew it.

"Everyone, say it! Freak! Freak! Freak!" chanted Rachel and soon, the students surrounding Grace were singing the single word over and over and over.

"_Freak! Freak! Freak! Freak!"_

It went on and on inside Grace's head. The rhythm punched her to a pulp and she clawed at her hair, screaming for them to stop.

Nobody listened.

"See, Grace?! You're nothing! Nothing but a big, fat, ugly freak-,"

_Bang!_ Rachel flew across the circle and slammed into the ground, moaning herself into unconsciousness. Grace's hands were trembling aggressively as they stuck out in front of her and her eyes were bright and round, terrified at what she had done. It was her entire fault.

The silence was worse than the chanting. The students stared at Grace, frightening of her, but the teachers who finally broke through never approached her. They were in alarmed, frozen in horror at what they had just seen.

Her sobs grew too much. Grace sniffed and grabbed her back, stumbling to the edge of the circle but she had no trouble getting through the thick line of students. They screamed and flinched away from her, utterly horrified at the thought of being near her in case they caught her freakishness as though it was a contagious disease.

Grace was blinded by rain and tears, in too much agony and shock to even process anything, and she ran from the school grounds. Nobody tried to stop her as she sprinted down the street and away from the scene of her dreadful crime. She felt bad in breaking Miss Greene's promise – she was going to be so disappointed in her.

Lost and slightly confused, Grace found herself amidst a throng of people bustling about the street, trying to get to work. Nobody cared to notice the sobbing, distressed eleven year old girl in the middle of the street, but Grace was slightly thankful for that.

She ran until her knees gave way and the ache was too much. Grace found a quiet, filthy alleyway that she thought fit her nicely. Clutching at the bricks, she slid down it and collapsed on the floor then hugged her knees, replaying the scene over and over again.

This was it, she couldn't go back. She didn't care about seeing Rachel again … She just knew she wouldn't be able to face Miss Greene again. She wished she would spontaneously combust there on the spot to put everyone out of their misery. She would have to run away, find a way to earn some money for food and shelter, she'd be an outcast. She nodded into her knees and tried to wipe the residue off her face.

Trying to gather her thoughts as she sat in the dark alleyway, Grace stared at the sheet of rain until a tall, thin figure blocked the bright dullness of the rain. She frowned and tried to hide as the figure walked towards her but all she could do was stare at his eccentric appearance. This stranger certainly didn't belong in this alleyway.

"At long last, I've found you," said the mysterious man with a breath of relief. Stunned, Grace stared up at him and hoped that the brick wall would swallow her up but it didn't. The stranger bent down to her eye level and she smelt something that reminded her of freshly baked tarts and a cup of strong tea. It intrigued her more than she wished to admit.

Sniffing, Grace looked him in the eye. "E-Excuse me?"

The man smiled widely and offered her his slender, pale hand.

"Grace, my dear, I think you need a hot cup of tea," offered the stranger and Grace felt her mouth fall open.


	3. Chapter 3

**Aaaaand chapter three! I wanna thank ****_caesar-dressing _****for the review (its just such a great name!) and ****_likethewordish, kittyitty6, GinnyPotter55 _****and ****_Ighngslly09 _****for the follows! They're greatly appreciated! **

**Thanks for reading :)**

* * *

The pub Grace was taken to was strange. There were pictures that seemed to move as she passed them, the air was smoky but sweet to taste and everyone inside wore eccentric items of clothing that she thought belonged in the medieval era.

Grace wasn't too sure as to why she followed the bizarre man who offered her a cup of tea but he had a certain aura to him. His demeanour was kind and warm and his words were gentle on her tender soul. Maybe she was wrong to trust him so easily but she couldn't help but accept the offer for tea as it was one of her few weak spots.

"We'll be in parlour seven, Tom. Send up a tray with tea," The elderly man ordered as he led Grace towards a wide set of crooked stairs. Grace glanced at the landlord who stood behind the bar and she giggled when he sent are a toothy grin and a low bow. Grace followed the man upstairs, along a very winding corridor and to a door labelled 'Parlour 7'.

"You must be soaked, Grace," The old man asked as he closed the door behind her and she nodded shyly. He smiled and pointed to a raring fireplace that Grace swore was just empty and full of old ash. Slightly dazed, Grace sat down in the armchair nearest the fire and the chair seemed to swallow her whole as the squashy cushions snuggled in close to her.

"A little," She mumbled, looking up at him and the man furrowed his brows. Stepping lightly with his buckled boots, he approached Grace and took her left arm. The scratches made by Rachel were very sore and a few smears of dried blood left trails down her pale skin. He sighed and dug deep into his robes and pulled out a thin glass phial. He uncorked the lotion and watched as a murky brown liquid dropped onto the cuts.

"You've had quite a day, I believe." It was a statement that Grace didn't need to concur. She had a feeling he knew exactly what had happened. Wincing at the light sting from the liquid, Grace glanced at her cuts and gasped when they seemed to melt away not only on her arms but her whole body.

"How do you know who I am?" Grace suddenly piped up as the man took the seat opposite her and pressed his fingers together before resting his chin on them, creating a soft support for his head. His glistening beard seemed to twitch and Grace narrowed her eyes. Had she made a grave mistake?

"You shouldn't have run away from school like that, something could have happened to you," He commented, ignoring her question, and Grace huffed.

"If I didn't leave that school, I would have been arrested," she frowned and stared at his luminous eyes, "but how do you know about that?"

The old man smiled, "A dear friend of mine was coming to collect you but alas, you disappeared, so I took it upon myself to find you. My dear, alleyways are not safe hiding places."

Grace's lips twitched, "It was better than standing in the middle of the street, crying."

The man chuckled and nodded, "I believe you are right in saying that."

Tom the landlord arrived with a silver tray that carried two delicate teacups, matching saucers and an intricate teapot whose spout was steaming. Grace watched the landlord produce some sort of stick from his pocket but the old man shook his head.

"She doesn't know yet, Tom," He told him and the landlord's eyes widened.

"I see, Professor. I'll be downstairs if you need anything else." The cheerful man left the room and Grace turned to the old man who watched her carefully.

"What don't I know? Who are you?" She asked, her hands gripping the sides of the chair and the man leant forward, producing his own stick from a pocket on his elaborate robes.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," He announced and his long fingers flicked the detailed stick in his hand. The teapot barely shook as it levitated into the air and tipped towards the teacup, pouring itself a milky cup hot tea. Grace's jaw dropped as the teacup sat in its saucer and carefully flew towards her as if an invisible waiter had offered it to her. Taking it from the air, she stared at the Headmaster and felt herself smile.

"So… So what I can do is magic? It's real?" She whispered and Albus Dumbledore nodded, taking his own teacup and sipping it.

"Yes, you're a witch."

Grace breathed out and drank her tea, feeling the hot liquid burn her throat. Her mind buzzed loudly and she couldn't focus on anything else but one thing; she _wasn't_ a freak. She was a real witch.

"So everything I can do, others can do too?" She asked and Professor Dumbledore nodded with a soft smile.

"Of course. There are many other witches and wizards your age." Grace sighed and smirked to herself, staring at her hands as seeing them for the first time. She perked up and sat on the edge of her seat, fiddling with the hem of her skirt and thought of all the times she had hated herself for her extraordinary nature.

"Sir, can every witch and wizard do magic without their hands as well as a wand?" She asked curiously and Dumbledore frowned, pressing his lips together.

"It depends how the wizard or witch has matured in their studies, why do you ask?" Grace fidgeted and stared down into her lap. She didn't know how to explain it.

"I can do things with my magic but I don't have a wand. I don't mean to do it but it happens when I get hurt or feel really angry. I can't help it," She tried to explain and Dumbledore nodded, resting his fingers against his lips.

"A young witch or wizard often accidently uses magic without realising it-,"

"But is it normal to constantly do magic against people who hurt me? It's not like I want to do it but it just… _happens._ I can't stop it and it makes me feel really strange, like somebody else is doing it," Grace looked at him with tears in her eyes, "Is that normal?"

Dumbledore studied her carefully and finished with a sigh. His slim fingers massaged the bridge of his nose as he sat straight and looked at the girl. She was covered in old scratches and worn bruises but it was her grey eyed stare and her bitten lip that reminded him of her parents. He stared past the Black and Crouch characteristics and spotted something else, something completely unexpected. The shock grasped his lungs and twisted them painfully.

"Is that the only thing?" Grace shook her head and gingerly lifted the hem of her shirt to reveal a bizarre scar on against her hip bone. The shape was hard to distinguish but the result of the mark hit Albus Dumbledore harder than a slap in the face. He blinked and sat back, nodding to himself.

"Don't worry. You merely have a skill with magic – that is all," He lied.

Grace nodded and sighed, relieved at his perspective on her strangeness but Dumbledore was determined to change the subject.

"I'm afraid the excitement doesn't stop there." Grace looked up and watched as the Headmaster revealed a thick letter from another mysterious pocket and he passed it to her. She read the cursive green ink and blinked.

_Miss Lyra Black,  
Cole's Orphanage,  
20-22 Rowstock Gardens, London_

"This isn't me, you've got the wrong person," She blurted out, shoving the letter back in front of her but he shook his head, sipping more of his boiling drink.

"No, that is you. Your birth name is Lyra Adelaide Black. Grace Cole was the name the orphanage's head carer gave you when you arrived 10 years ago," Dumbledore explained as Grace ripped opened the letter with her trembling fingers, "You're from the two purest wizarding families in Europe but unfortunately, as you are not of age, you are not able to fully access and inherit your family's vaults-,"

"Vaults? As in money?" Grace interrupted and Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, your family is rather wealthy but you can only access up to four hundred galleons, three hundred sickles and seventy-five knuts per year." Grace tried to understand what the professor was saying but she couldn't.

"Sorry, what?" She asked and Professor Dumbledore simply smiled.

"Do not worry, Lyra. You'll understand it all soon enough. Now," The professor checked his gold watch, "the Hogwarts Express leaves in an hour and a half yet we're still sat here discussing small subjects like wizarding currency. I believe you will find everything in Diagon Alley which is just beyond the Leaky Cauldron, but you need to visit Gringotts first."

Grace stared at her headmaster and bit her bottom lip. Her grey eyes widened at the thought of getting lost in the wizarding high street so she cleared her throat and flashed the headmaster a smile.

"Professor, please could you help me?" Albus Dumbledore stared at Lyra and ignored the persistent jab from the back of his mind. He brushed it away and turned to the young girl with a gracious nod.

"Of course. But before we leave, I have one last question to ask you."

Grace nodded, finishing her tea and placing it back onto the silver tray for Tom to collect. Dumbledore adjusted his pointed hat and smiled, producing a small quill and parchment from thin air.

"Will you be reclaiming your birth name when you attend Hogwarts?" He asked and Grace bit her lip. Lyra Adelaide Black was her real name, that was the real her. She was never truly Grace Cole, the freakish orphan, and she was desperate for a fresh start. Lyra gazed up at her headmaster and nodded with a grin.

"Yes please."

Dumbledore nodded, scribbled a short note onto the parchment and pocketed it for future use. The pair stood up and readied themselves of a short shopping trip in Diagon Alley.

* * *

The wizarding High Street was truly a sight to see. Despite the constant downpour, wizards and witches continued to shop without as much as a drop of rain ruining their clothes and this seemed to intrigue Lyra immensely.

"How are they doing that?" Lyra asked the Headmaster from underneath a rather large umbrella that seemed to appear from inside one of Dumbledore's pockets. She looked up at the old man and realised he, too, wasn't suffering from the rain. She gawked and he chuckled politely.

"The wonders you will learn will be incredible, Miss Black. Now, let us continue to Gringotts."

The prospect of a muggle bank bored Lyra but the thought of witnessing a magical one excited her. Her stomach fluttered the second she entered the vast marble building that stood at one of Diagon Alley's corners. Strange and odd-looking creatures hobbled around the large atrium and Lyra blinked, staring at them but she drew her gaze when one looked back at her with its eyes dark and glowing.

"What are they?" Lyra mumbled, keeping close to the Headmaster and he chuckled softly.

"Goblins – they are very intelligent creatures and are both brilliant and dangerous with money. Follow me," He told her and Lyra nodded, obeying him and trying to keep up with everything.

During her shopping trip, Lyra tried to take everything in without as much as a squeal. Their first stop was to _Madam Malkins_ where she went to purchase her own robes but as she stood on the small stool, she couldn't help but gawk as the tape measure flew through the air, taking the measurements for the seamstress.

Another shop she found fascinating was the Owl Emporium. The shop was alive with screeches and hoots from hundreds of owls that seemed to gawk at every customer who entered. Lyra knew she would love an owl as the thought of owning a cat would be too stereotypical for her taste. She could feel her cheeks aching as she wandered around the shop, looking for her new pet but all of a sudden, something swooped past her face and threw her balance off. Luckily, she caught herself before she stumbled into a large cage holding three sleeping tawny owls.

"APOLLO!" The shopkeeper yelled, rushing over to sort out the mess, "I am so sorry, Miss." The shopkeeper looked up and scowled at a barn owl that seemed to hide behind its wings, "Apollo, be careful!"

Lyra followed the shopkeeper's eye line and gazed at the owl, simply mesmerised by it. The barn owl was magnificent. Its dark eyes caught hers and it hooted softly, stretching its rich golden wings out to offer her a half bow. Lyra giggled and put her arm out, wondering whether Apollo would come.

It was chaos.

Apollo screeched and hurried down to her, its wings fluttering excitedly and knocking down many things that seemed to ruffle the other owls nearby. The shopkeeper groaned and apologised to Lyra but she shook her head, laughing at the owl that had landed on her arm.

"It's fine," Lyra looked around and caught Professor Dumbledore's eye before turning back to the wizard who scolded Apollo, "Actually, I was wondering how much Apollo was?"

"Wait, what?" He asked, completely stunned.

"I would like to buy Apollo please," Lyra announced and the owl on her arm let out a loud hoot and nipped her cheek affectionately. She giggled and stroked his silky feathers.

Professor Dumbledore merely watched the scene with a smile.

* * *

The hands on Dumbledore's watch finally hit ten o'clock by the time he and Lyra reached Ollivanders. Lyra read the shop sign and bit her lip, utterly anxious at the prospect of her wand. She couldn't help but feel nervous though, what if she couldn't find a wand? What if she wasn't really a witch and Dumbledore had made a mistake? She frowned and waited till the headmaster entered the shop to follow.

The wand maker's shop was dusty and bland but the sudden hush inside made Lyra's insides tingle. She felt like she was in a strict library where somebody would shout at her if she spoke. She glanced over her shoulder to see Dumbledore making himself at home on one of the fragile chairs near the window. She stood by the counter and wondered whether she should ring the bell. Just as her hand hovered over the golden bell, the wand maker appeared.

He was a gangly elder with wispy white hair and eyes brighter than her own grey. He took one look at Lyra and his pale lips cracked into a genuine grin. He reminded her of a fragile relic found in a museum.

"Well aren't we taking a risk, Miss Black?" He asked, walking into the shop and eyeing her up close. She stood on the spot and awkwardly smiled back, hoping he would stop staring at her soon.

"Good morning Garrick, I'm hoping you are well?" Dumbledore asked from behind a muggle magazine and the wand maker nodded.

"Good morning Albus, and yes – quite well. And you?" He asked and Lyra listened to the conversation, hoping that they would stop so she could hurry up and get on with choosing her wand.

"Now," The wand maker named Garrick Ollivander turned to Lyra and flicked his own wand, "I've been waiting for you yet here you are – on the day you are leaving for Hogwarts." He spun around and began sifting through shelves of thin boxes.

"Urm…" Lyra didn't know how to respond. Why was he waiting for her?

"Yes, yes. It is strange how one can lose track of time… It seems like it was only yesterday that I was serving your parents, oh yes," Lyra caught his grave smile, "Your mother's wand was delicate, I remember – Ash wand at eleven and a half inches, unicorn hair core… But your father, on the other hand, his wand was made from rich mahogany, thirteen and a quarter inches and held a particularly strong heartstring of a dragon." Lyra blinked and tried to take the information in.

"You knew my parents?" She blurted out and Ollivander nodded, slipping a pale blue box from a tall pile. He removed the contents and handed Lyra her first wand to try. It was very light in her hands.

"Try this, sycamore wood and dragon heartstring," He advised but before Lyra could wave it around, he whipped it away and slipped another into her fingers. The new wand felt very cold.

"No no, what about this one? Dogwood and dragon heartstring?" Lyra flicked it about but yet to the wand maker – it still wasn't right.

It took an achingly long time for Lyra to find her own wand. The backs of her legs began to cramp but Ollivander was determined for her perfect wand to make itself known. She watched as the pile of wand boxes grew taller and taller on the counter and it seemed to drag her confidence down to the ground. Maybe it _was_ a huge mistake?

"We will find the right wand, Miss Black, do not worry," Ollivander sighed as she slipped another failed wand back into its home but his watery silver eyes caught Dumbledore's incandescent blue. His eyebrows twitched and he stroked his stubbled chin, muttering soundless words. Lyra never caught the transition between the wizards as she had bent down to massage the backs of her knees.

"There is one we could try, though the possibility of a match is impossible but..." Dumbledore barely inclined his head and Ollivander sighed, walking behind the counter and disappearing for a few moments. Lyra waited, staring at the spot where his fluffy white hair disappeared but he returned moments later with a dark wand box. He frowned as he removed the wand and passed it to the girl. His gaze was intense.

The second Lyra took the wand, a strange and severe warmth spread from her fingertips to her toes. Gasping, she raised the wand and watched as particles of light froze around her, making the very air tingle and shine. She grinned and flicked the wand once more, letting the light continue to the floor where it dissolved into nothing. She handed the wand back and bit her lip, hoping that she was finally done.

"I see," Ollivander breathed before casing the wand up in its box and securing the wand with brown wrappings, "seven galleons please." Lyra paid the wand maker and kindly thanked him for the trouble of finding her wand.

"Of course, Miss Black, it's been a pleasure. If you do, however, have any problems with that wand, don't hesitate to write." Lyra nodded, slightly inquisitive as to why her wand would have problems, but she ignored him and followed Professor Dumbledore out of the shop.

Garrick Ollivander watched the pair leave and he dropped his smile. Staring down into the cellar below the counter, he frowned and scratched his chin. He had never had thought that the wand he had just sold would find its owner in Lyra Black. After all, that wand was a mistake – he should never have made it.


	4. Chapter 4

**A big thanks to ****_likethewordish _****for the review! (Lyra's wand core is unknown to her as well as us but she recognises the wood to be ivy! The reason why we/she doesn't know is a spoiler for her future years and I don't want to spoil it!)**

**Also, I wanna thank my new followers (****_IAmObsessed, Takahashi Amaya, duck liet, miyuki00, Creative Lunatic!) _****and to my new faves (****_Creative Lunatic, Rumpleteazerlover7!) _****Thank you guys! All reviews, faves and follows are deeply appreciated and I will respond!**

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"I'm sorry, Professor, but what did you say?"

Lyra and Professor Dumbledore were stood on platform 9 in Kings Cross Station but she wasn't sure whether she misheard her headmaster as the casual clamour of the station was quite loud.

"To reach Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, you have to run through that wall." He pointed to a brick barrier that separated platforms nine and ten. Lyra blinked hard and laughed, looking up at her professor.

"But isn't that impossible?" She asked, doubting the wizard's sanity but he smiled and stroked his silver beard.

"On the contrary but here we are," He replied, unravelling a lemon drop sweet in his hands and popping it into his mouth. Lyra breathed out and gripped the handle of her trolley tighter. She looked back to the barrier and wondered if it was as solid as she thought. Deciding against touching the muddy red bricks, Lyra turned back to her headmaster to ask one more question but the space beside her was empty.

"Well goodbye then," She mumbled bitterly to herself and aimed her body and trolley towards the wall. Her stomach fluttered anxiously at the prospect of crashing into the wall and making a fool of herself in front of a crowd of strangers but the sudden surge of excitement and curiosity overwhelmed her.

A large clock face dangling nearby ticked loudly and Lyra realised that she was going to be late if she didn't hurry up – it was two minutes to eleven. Holding her breath, she suddenly burst into a fast run and, with her eyes squeezed shut; she fell through the brick barrier.

"All aboard!" A deep voice bellowed and a portentous shrill whistle of a train hit Lyra's ear drums. She opened her eyes and felt the nerves inside shrivel up. A brilliant scarlet steam train stood beside a crowded platform full of wizarding families waving to their children. She tried to catch her breath but she had no time. The doors of the train began to slam shut further down the train yet Lyra was still on the platform. In sheer panic, she grabbed her trunk with one hand, shoved Apollo and his cage under her other arm and sprinted to the only remaining open door. She threw everything on and dove inside. The final door slammed and the hem of her muggle school blazer barely made it.

There was silence in the small section of the corridor for a few seconds and Lyra lay on the floor, her chest heaving as she tried to finally catch her breath. Apollo hooted loudly behind her, his feathers dishevelled, and she glared at him as he swivelled his head to look at her.

"Funny, is it?" She asked him and he hooted louder, the sound resembling a laugh. Lyra rolled her eyes and picked him up. She smoothed her ruffled blouse and skirt then grabbed her possessions and trekked down the train's corridor in hope of a spare compartment.

"Hello, are you a first year too?" Lyra stopped and turned at the sound of a girl's voice. She came face to face with a girl her age with thick brunette hair that smiled and shook her hand vigorously.

"My name is Hermione Granger, what's yours?" She asked and Lyra smirked, struggling to hold Hermione Granger's hand without letting her things crash to the floor.

"Gr- Er, I mean Lyra Black." Lyra replied and she loved how it sounded. It was perfect.

"Pleasure to meet you," She noticed how much she was struggling, "Do you need some help?" Hermione asked and Lyra sighed, gratefully thanking her.

"I don't have a compartment to sit in but-,"

"Oh that's ok! You can sit in here, if you like. I'm sure Neville and the others won't mind," She said and led Lyra into the nearest compartment where three other people sat. Beside the door sat a boy with a round face and dark brown hair who looked up at the newcomer awkwardly while the boys beside the window stopped their conversation to smile widely at Lyra.

"This is Neville," Hermione introduced and the round faced boy barely cracked a smile without blushing furiously.

"I'm Dean," The boy with dark skin and charcoal hair perked up. "And I'm Seamus," The sandy-haired boy opposite him added and Lyra noted the Irish accent. She waved and smiled, replying with her own name.

"Is that your owl?" Dean asked, gazing at Apollo who clicked his beak and snuggled down inside of his cage. Lyra nodded and settled him on the shelf above their heads.

"Yeah, I got him today. His name's Apollo." Dean frowned and smirked but Seamus piped up before he could.

"Apollo? Why Apollo?" He wondered and Lyra shrugged.

"After the Greek Sun God, I guess." She had never made the connection before but the deep golden colour of her pet's feathers was rather prominent. She wasn't sure whether many barn owls coats were as bright as his.

"That's clever," Hermione responded with a smile before launching into an explanation as to why she didn't have a pet. Lyra guessed by the way she spoke of her parents that they weren't wizards.

"Are you a muggle-born?" Seamus asked suddenly, interrupting Hermione and she nodded with her cheeks turning a delicate shade of red. Lyra wondered what a muggle-born was but Dean beat her to it.

"What's a muggle-born?" He asked.

"A wizard or witch with muggle parents. I'm half and half, you see. Dad's a muggle and me mam's a witch," He laughed and continued, "She didn't tell him until after the wedding, it was a bit of a nasty shock for him!"

"It's a good thing he didn't take it the wrong way," Lyra noted and Seamus nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, but luckily he was thrilled." He turned to Dean, "What about you?"

"I'm a muggle-born, I guess. I've never met my dad." He didn't look upset but Lyra could see the thought plagued him so he turned to Neville to push all thought out of his head, "What about you, Neville?"

"I'm a pureblood," He mumbled, playing with a thread on his tee-shirt, "I think the Longbottoms have been for generations though I know we have muggle relatives somewhere." Seamus looked at Lyra, "What about you?"

Lyra froze and suddenly forgot how to breathe. What did Dumbledore tell her again?

"I'm urm, a pureblood I think." Seamus frowned and laughed, "You think? How can you not know?" All of a sudden, Lyra was aware of her muggle uniform as it felt like it started shrinking and strangling her.

She fidgeted in her seat awkwardly and stood up, "My parents died in a fire before I was born." Seamus' eyes widened and his mouth formed a small o-shape.

"I'm sorry," He began but Lyra laughed and shook her head. "Don't apologise, its fine-,"

"Oh no!" Neville exclaimed abruptly, shooting up and patting his pockets frantically.

"What's wrong?" Lyra asked, slipping her muggle school blazer off and shoving it into her trunk. Neville groaned and hung his head.

"I lost my toad, Trevor," He glanced around, "He's not in here, is he?" The compartment jumped up and started searching for any signs of a toad but the mysterious Trevor wasn't found. Lyra bit her lip and rolled her shirt sleeves up, "Would you like me to go out and find him?" Neville raised his eyebrows and nodded, smiling gently.

"Urm, yes please," He replied and Hermione stood up, looking at Neville.

"I'll go with her, I want to go out and see the rest of the train!" Lyra nodded and the pair of girls walked out into the corridor and began their search for Trevor the missing toad.

The pair of girls knocked on a few doors and asked whether anybody had seen a toad but nobody helped the search. They continued their wanders but Lyra was constantly side-tracked by shows of explosions, enchanted chocolate frogs and other supernatural animals that roamed the compartments – she swore she saw one boy holding a gigantic tarantula.

"What about down here?" Hermione asked and Lyra drew her eyes from an intense game of snap that ended with one of the players eventually burning their eyebrows off but as soon as she turned to Hermione, she saw a flash of white collide with her face.

Lyra fell backwards onto her back for the second time today and felt something extremely cold dribble all over her face. She tried to wipe the sensation away but a new pair of faces appeared up above her, both wearing expressions of amazement and guilt.

"I am so sorry! I didn't know it would bounce off of the window!" One of the boys exclaimed. He had vivid ginger hair, a face full of freckles and bold blue eyes.

"I think your brothers gave you a dud spell," The other boy added and he offered Lyra a hand. He had tousled jet black hair and bright emerald eyes hidden behind round glasses. She thanked them and got to her feet, ignoring the twinge in her back from the fall. She glanced up at the two boys and they cringed, catching each other's eye.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" She asked, grabbing her face and feeling for anything strange but the ginger boy snorted and clamped his hand over his mouth.

"Urm, yeah there is," He muttered and the boy beside him gawked and tried not to laugh.

"Ron, how did you _do_ that?" He asked and Lyra began to panic. What had the ginger boy done to her? Hermione rushed over and gasped, staring at Lyra.

"What happened?"

"What? What have you done to my face?!" She shouted, staring at the boy called Ron and he bit his lip.

"Lyra, your whole face is bright blue!" Hermione confessed.

Her mouth went dry and she stared at her reflection in the nearest pane of glass. Hermione wasn't exaggerating when she said it was bright blue – it was practically _glowing_.

"Oh my God…" Lyra murmured, pulling at her skin and rubbing it furiously with her fingers, "How do I get this off?!" She asked and Ron's eyes lit up.

"I have an idea, hang on!" He babbled and ran off down the corridor. Lyra glanced at Hermione who was still gaping. She eventually closed her jaw and shook her head.

"Do you want me to stay here with you or-,"

"No, go tell Neville that we're sorry but we can't search for his toad at the moment," Lyra suggested and Hermione nodded before rushing back down to their original compartment.

"You can come in here if you want," The green-eyed boy recommended with a smile, "I don't think you'll want people to stare at you."

Lyra nodded and followed the boy into his compartment. The seats were littered with sweet wrappers and half-eaten chocolate bars and a beautiful snowy owl chirped form above their heads.

"I'm Harry by the way, Harry Potter," The boy announced as they sat down and Lyra mustered a half smile.

"I'm Lyra Black," She grumbled, "I'm not normally this blue, I promise." Harry laughed and nodded, pulling the compartment door shut.

"I'm so sorry Ron's spell hit you – we thought it was going to turn his rat yellow," He explained and Lyra scoffed.

"Turn his rat yellow?" She did admit that it would have been quite a sight, "Then how on earth did it turn my face blue?"

Harry shrugged and smirked, "I guess Ron messed up tremendously well." Lyra's grumpiness towards the two new boys melted away as she laughed, settling back into the compartment seat.

"I sure hope Ron has an idea of how to get this off," Lyra wondered aloud and Harry nodded, ruffling his black hair.

"He knows more than me, I only found out about the wizarding world a month ago," He clarified and Lyra nodded, smiling.

"I found out," she glanced at her own watch, "two hours ago." Harry stared at her and laughed, trying to understand her.

"Really? I mean, a giant man didn't knock down your door, scare your relatives and tell you that you were a witch?" He asked and Lyra shook her head, smirking.

"Not to those details, no. Professor Dumbledore-,"

"Dumbledore? That muggle-loving fool?" A new voice asked and the pair glanced at the door to see a pale blonde boy with cold grey eyes staring at the pair. Harry frowned and rolled his eyes, looking at the newcomer. Lyra noticed that the boy wasn't alone as a pair of thick, tall boys stood behind him.

"Hello Draco," He replied coolly, "What do you want?" Lyra watched as the boy she assumed was Draco crossed his arms and barely crossed the entrance of the compartment door.

"I heard a rumour that Harry Potter was in this compartment and -," His eyes flicked to Lyra and he interrupted himself by snorting loudly. "What happened to _you_?"

"What do you mean?" Lyra commented but she caught Harry's eye and the thought of her blue face returned, "Oh yeah. Don't worry, I'm half-Smurf," She replied deadpanned and Draco stared at her blankly but Harry's snigger made it harder to keep a straight face.

"You're half what?" He queried, eyes narrowed in suspicion and Lyra scoffed.

"You don't know what a Smurf is?"

"Is it some sort of magical creature?" He wondered but just as Lyra was about to confess the truth, Harry butted in and continued her lie.

"Yeah, Draco. I'm surprised that a pureblood like you hasn't heard of them before." Lyra raised her eyebrows and suddenly the puzzle pieces clicked. Wizards obviously don't have Smurfs in their world.

"No, I haven't," He fumed but swiftly changed the subject, "What's your name, anyway? I'm Draco Malfoy."

"I'm Lyra, nice to meet you Draco Malfoy," She grinned and he arched a dark eyebrow. "What's your last name?"

She snorted, "Does it matter?"

"Well yeah, are you-,"

"We're here!" Two booming voices exclaimed, cutting Draco off and a hand shoved him to one side. Lyra looked up and saw a pair of lanky red-headed identical twins bound into the compartment sporting wide grins. Ron rushed in after them but his smile faltered when he spotted Draco Malfoy.

"What are you doing here?" He sneered, staring at Draco who glared at them all.

"I came to speak to Harry Potter but clearly he has already gotten himself stuck with _you_. I can help you, you know, you don't want to get caught up with the wrong crowd, Weasley." Ron glowered and grabbed his wand out from his pocket. Lyra widened her eyes but kept very quiet.

"Get out of here, Malfoy," Ron growled.

"Or else what?" He taunted and Ron's face flushed bright red. One of the boys standing behind Draco tried to reach for a nearby box of jellybeans but out of nowhere, a brown rat launched itself at the boy and sunk its teeth into his knuckle. The boy howled and flung the rat about and both Harry, Ron, Lyra and the two twins watched, stunned into silence as the rat flew through the air and slammed into the window.

"Come on," Draco murmured, his face contorted with rage, and he left with friends trailing behind. Lyra laughed and poked her head out of the door, shouting "Don't come back or else I'll send the Smurfs after you!" She shut the door and sat beside Harry as the two twins suddenly got a look of her face.

"Merlins beard, George, the spell worked!" One of them roared, holding his stomach while the other wiped away tears. "It was supposed to turn your face blue, Ron-,"

"But it got her instead! That's brilliant!" The other twin finished and he high-fived his brother. Ron rolled his eyes and introduced the twins to Lyra.

"This is Fred and George, my brothers," He mumbled and Lyra nodded, catching the similarities between them.

"Troublemaker extraordinaires, at your service," The one Lyra guessed was called Fred announced, bowing down low as the other sent her a cheeky wink. She smirked and bowed back, "Lyra Black, I'm honoured."

"Black… Black – does that ring a bell Georgie?" Fred asked, stroking his non-existent beard and George shrugged. Lyra's stomach fluttered and cramped.

"Probably, I'm not sure. We're quite popular, you see," He replied and Lyra grinned.

"Could you possibly turn my face back to normal, please?" Lyra asked sweetly and the twins looked at each. George stole a handful of sweets and popped them into his mouth.

"We would love to, Lyra-,"

"-but unfortunately, we don't know how! We were hoping Ron turned himself blue so we didn't bother learning the counter-jinx!" Lyra felt her jaw drop as the twins jumped up and rushed out, roaring with laughter.

"I can't believe they wanted to turn me blue!" Ron yelled, staring after his brother but Lyra blinked and pointed to her face.

"You're not the one who has to arrive at Hogwarts with a blue face!" Harry and Ron looked at each other and held in their laughter. Lyra bit her lip and stared at her lap. She felt like such a idiot and the hope of not making a fool out of herself began to worry her.

"What was all that noise? I hope you weren't fighting?" Lyra glanced at the door and saw Hermione Granger standing there with her arms crossed.

"Of course not," Lyra mumbled while Ron avoided looking at the girls. Harry laughed and offered Hermione a seat in the compartment. She took it graciously and continued to stare at Lyra's azure face.

"Haven't you worked out how to get that off yet?" She asked as if the solution was easy.

"Of course we haven't or she wouldn't still be blue, would she?" Ron snapped and Hermione shot him a hot look. She revealed her wand and cleared her throat, throwing her bushy hair over her shoulders.

"_Scourgify_" Hermione exclaimed and Lyra felt a foamy substance tickle her skin. She opened her eyes and waited for the verdict and it was surprisingly positive.

"Much better, you can hardly see any blue at all thought the tinge may stay for a few days," She informed her and Lyra beamed. She threw her arms around Hermione and restated her thanks.

"Hermione Granger, you are a genius!" Lyra shouted and Hermione blushed, looking away.


	5. Chapter 5

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"I think we're here!"

Lyra felt her eyes widen and she leapt over to the window. Pressing her hands against the glass, she impatiently waited for the steam to clear but it took a while. She heard a few students say in the train corridor that the best view of the castle was from the left-side windows but the steam still was too stubborn.

"Let's go," Hermione ordered, marching out the compartment and Lyra turned to see Harry and Ron stare after her.

"I hope I'm not in _her_ house," Ron mumbled to the other two, jabbing his thumb after Hermione, "She's a nightmare!" Lyra frowned at Ron but he had already walked off, Harry following him quickly. The corridor was a nightmare but she could feel the anticipation in the air as students filed out into the fresh summer's evening air. She stepped down onto the platform and attempted to follow the two figures of Harry and Ron.

"Firs' years – firs' years over here!" Lyra caught the booming voice and turned around to see the biggest man she'd ever seen in her whole life. The giant man's face was covered in wild, thick hair but she caught sight of a pair of dark, crinkling eyes.

"Hello Hagrid!" Harry suddenly appeared at Lyra's side with Ron and the giant looked down and smiled at the boy.

"Alright Harry? Firs' year – over here and follow me!" The giant turned and began to lead a crowd of at least forty people around Lyra's age towards a muddy path behind the station. Lyra glanced around and hurried to keep up with them but the unfamiliar sight of the wizarding village caught her off guard.

"Wow," Lyra breathed, slowing her steps as the view of the village faded and Hermione's voice perked up from behind.

"Hogsmeade is the only wizard-dwelling village in Britain," She informed and Lyra nodded, sliding down the path as the mud under her feet grew damp and slippery. Eventually they reached the edge of a vast dark lake and eleven small boats were bobbing on the water's surface, waiting for them to take their seats.

"No more'n four to a boat," Hagrid ordered and everyone flocked to the boats. In the near darkness, Lyra couldn't tell who was who but she soon found herself in a boat with Dean and Seamus.

"Alright Lyra?" Seamus chirped but he leant closer to examine her face, "why is your face blue?" Lyra groaned and covered her face, "It's a long story."

Another girl jumped into their boat and carefully shuffled in beside Lyra. She had blonde hair that sat in two pigtails. She shot the three a shy smile and waved, "I'm Hannah."

Lyra smiled, "I'm Lyra." The two girls talked quietly to each other as Dean yanked Seamus' collar as the boat tipped to the right and almost sent the Irish boy into the icy lake. The girls gasped but laughed loudly when Seamus shrieked, falling back into the boat. Lyra heard Hagrid's booming voice command the boats to go and soon, all eleven boats were gliding across the glass-like surface of the lake and out towards the darkness.

A strange silence fell upon the first-years when the cliff faces grew taller and an enormous castle made from many turrets, towers and bridges appeared above them but the effect overall was utterly breathtaking. The boats drifted towards a large, dark tunnel and through a large curtain of ivy. Lyra resisted the urge to grab onto the vines but before she could, they had passed and stopped at another dock.

"Everyone out? Ok, follow me," Hagrid continued and the first-years clambered out, mumbling amongst themselves. Lyra climbed out and saw Ron grumbling in Harry's ear. She shuffled over and greeted them again, earning two smiles from the boys.

"The only time Hermione stopped talking was when she saw the castle," Ron ranted under his breath and Lyra tried to ignore his complaints because she had taken a liking to Hermione. She bit her lip and kept quiet as Hagrid ended the journey in the doorway to a great entrance hall. Lyra was sure she could have squeezed the whole of Rowstock Gardens into the hall and there still would have been room for more. Her eyes glazed over the magnificent décor and four towering hourglasses caught her eye. Each hourglass had a golden animal balanced on top and a different variety of precious stone in its base but before Lyra could recognise the animals, she followed the group over to a set of lofty doors.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall," A voice announced and a woman wearing emerald robes and a pair of square spectacles stood in front of the first years and examined them. Lyra gulped and kept quiet as the piercing stare she received sent a chill down her spine. The woman eyed them all and nodded, continuing her introduction. She explained what was about to happen in the Great Hall and how the students were going to be sorted into one of four houses. Lyra drew her eyes from Professor McGonagall to the students in front of her and she could see the nerves written deep in their faces.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up the best you can while you wait." The professor pursed her lips when she caught Neville's untucked collar but rolled her eyes when she realised Lyra's face was tinted a pale shade of blue and she entered the hall for a moment.

The students began to whisper to each other and Lyra knew they were asking what house they thought they would be sorted into. She stood on the balls of her feet, listening to Ron tell Harry that his twin brothers told him about a certain test involving a troll.

"Ron, you don't believe them do you?" Lyra asked and Ron shrugged.

"They did sound sincere-,"

"And these are the same brothers that told you that the spell you used earlier would turn your rat yellow but look what happened." Lyra pointed to her face and Ron flushed, apologising again.

"She has a point, you know," Harry added, taking Lyra's side and she smiled, nodding to herself to insure that she must have been right because the thought of fighting something as gruesome and terrifying as a troll on her first day made her knees weak. They wouldn't do that to the first years, would they?

Professor McGonagall re-entered the Entrance Hall and the sides of her mouth twitched, "We're ready for you."

The Hall was something Lyra had never expected – it was extraordinary. The huge hall stretched quite far and four long tables sat in the middle with flocks of students around them, staring at the new students in curiosity as to who would become their new housemates. Lyra's heart banged hard and a strange flutter settled in her stomach as she walked down the hall that seemed to take hours. Hundreds of candles sat suspended in mid-air above their heads and Lyra couldn't bear to stare at the ceiling for too long but she couldn't believe it simply opened up to the heavens.

Thankfully, there was no troll waiting for them at the end – only an old hat. Lyra and the other students watched as its brim ripped open and began to sing a song that many in the hall recognised. Stunned, the first years waited till the hat stopped singing to clap. Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and unravelled a piece of parchment.

"Now, when I call your names, you will sit down on the stool, place the Sorting Hat on your head and wait to be sorted." Lyra raised her eyebrows – was it that easy?

"_Abbot, Hannah_," McGonagall announced and Hannah hurried up to the stool from the group and slid the hat over her pink ears. It took only a few seconds for the Sorting Hat to cry out, "Hufflepuff!" A few of the first years jumped and Lyra had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"_Black, Lyra_," The professor called out and Lyra seized up. She didn't expect her name to be called out so soon. She approached the stool and felt hundreds of eyes on her back. She glanced at McGonagall who stared then placed the Sorting Hat on her head. The last thing she saw before complete darkness was the students of Hogwarts gazing at her intently both in interest and serenity.

"_Hmm, my, my. A Black? Why, I haven't spoke to a Black since your dear uncle sat upon the stool,_" A snide voice recited into her ear and she shivered. Her uncle?

"My uncle? I didn't know-,"

"_I can clearly see you don't know a lot of things_," The voice sighed and chuckled deeply, "_This could be potentially problematic for you, Miss Lyra Black._" Lyra bit her lip and felt her eyebrows fall into a frown. She knew some things from her primary school, she wasn't stupid.

"_Now, where shall I put you? This is challenging but it is not impossible… Yes, just as I suspected – the last heir to the pureblood families I see, perhaps Slytherin?_" Lyra didn't mind but during the train journey, she had heard nothing but terror on the subject of the Slytherin House from Ron.  
"_Cunning and ambitious, that may be your path, and it certainly runs in your blood but…_" There was a long silence and Lyra fidgeted on her seat. Her fingers gripped the sides of the stool and she could feel the wood grains split under her nails.

"_Ah, you are definitely your parents' daughter. Bravery at the core and heaps of talent, oh yes!_" The voice seemed to grow with excitement at what he saw and it unnerved Lyra, "_You have nerve most definitely and the potential… Your potential in incredulous for I have never seen this before in my whole existence – GRYFFINDOR!"_

Lyra pulled the hat off and met the light again to see the left centre table clapping and screaming loudly. She felt her cheeks flame up as she gave McGonagall the hat back but she swore she saw the professor crack a smile. As she approached her new house, she caught the outraged glares of the far table whose students wore deep emerald and silver but dismissed them the second the Weasley twins grabbed both of her hands and shook them vigorously with identical pearly grins smeared on their faces.

"Welcome to the family, Little Miss Blue-Face," They exclaimed and pulled her down the table. It was strange, Lyra thought as she watched the rest of the first years get sorted, that those four small words nearly brought her to tears. She gazed down the entire Gryffindor table and caught a few convivial smiles. She'd been at Hogwarts for five minutes and the castle was already the closest thing she knew that felt like her true home.


	6. Chapter 6

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Whatever Lyra was expecting on her first day at Hogwarts was completely different to what actually happened.

Her day started bright and early with her fellow Gryffindor first year girls talking excitedly about what the day would bring. She noticed that the badge on her robes and the colours of her tie were now identical to the rest of Gryffindor and the notion made her grin. Two of the girls called Lavender and Pavarti sped off into the common room as they were very excited to start the day but Hermione waited for Lyra to grab her school bag before heading down to breakfast.

"Are you excited?" Hermione asked her as they made their long trek down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"I'm more nervous than excited to be honest," Lyra mumbled, "I mean, some of these people have grown up with their wizarding families and they must know so much." Hermione frowned but scared herself as the staircase in front her of suddenly descended to the floor below.

"But I thought you were a pure-blooded witch?"

Lyra shrugged, "I am but I grew up in an orphanage, I know nothing."

"Aw, don't worry, Little Miss Blue-Face!" A familiar voice piped up from behind and Lyra turned to see Fred and George Weasley smirking down at her. Her stomach fluttered at the sudden reminder that she may still have a blue tinge to her face.

"Loads of people who come to Hogwarts don't know anything about magic, even those from wizarding families," The twin Lyra assumed was George stated, trying to tame his flaming bed head.

"Take Ron for example – Look what he did yesterday to you and he's supposed to be a pureblood but we've sworn he's adopted for years now yet Mum and Dad won't tell us the truth." Lyra laughed and she felt a weight lift off her chest. She thanked them and ran to catch up with Hermione as they eventually reached the Entrance Hall.

The Great Hall was less extravagant than last night but the food still looked mouth-watering. The two girls sat down with the rest of the first years who were currently listening to Professor McGonagall explain the classes and what they all had to do in each. Lyra learnt, also, that each house had a head and Gryffindor's Head of House was McGonagall. She guessed that was a good thing as the professor gave off a strict aura and since Gryffindors were known to be reckless, they need somebody like McGonagall to keep them in line.

The lessons are Hogwarts were harder and more intricate than Lyra expected. She wouldn't have known that there was a lot more to magic than waving a wand around and hoping for the best. They had to practice the theory side of the supernatural as well as the mental and physical details too and the actual strength it took from them was immense. The classes were, also, very diverse compared to the next. It took Lyra a whole week to experience them all but she soon found out that in her third year she would be taking on more and the thought agitated her.

Friday eventually arrived and Lyra couldn't wait to try out her last new lesson – Potions. It was taught by Professor Snape and the word around Hogwarts was he wasn't one to cross.

"Fred and George told me that he's horrible to everyone who isn't in his house, Slytherin," Ron explained over Friday morning's breakfast. Lyra shrugged and bit into a green apple, "You need to stop believe everything your brothers tell you." Ron rolled his eyes and edged closer, Harry listening in to the conversation too, "But it's true! Ask anyone, go on!"

"Fine!" Lyra looked around the table and spotted a tall boy with mousy hair chatting dynamically to his friends nearby. Lyra shuffled up to him and tapped his shoulder, halting his conversation and drawing his and his friend's attention to her.

"Yeah?" He asked and Lyra noted the strong Scottish accent. She smiled and cleared her throat.

"Since I've only been here a week and I haven't had potions yet, I was wondering whether you can tell me about Professor Snape?" The boy turned to his friends who all pulled a nasty face and snorted.

"Ah, Professor Snape… Just be thankful if you still have your head after his lesson, believe me! He hates us Gryffindors," He explained and Lyra gulped. She thanked him and shuffled back down to Harry and Ron.

"Yeah, urm, I think your brothers were right," She confessed and Ron smirked proudly.

"See, I told you! He favours Slytherins," He said and Harry made a face.

"I wish McGonagall favoured us," He added just as his snowy owl landed on the table with a note in her mouth. Harry looked at Ron and Lyra with surprise, "I never get mail."

He read it and grinned, showing the pair what it said, "Hagrid has invited me for tea, do you two wanna come after lessons?" He offered and Lyra bit her lip, looking at the Great Hall doors. She had hardly seen Hermione and she suspected that she would still be in the library all afternoon so Lyra nodded, "Definitely."

Lyra's first trip to the dungeons was one she did not enjoy. The air was very cold compared to the rest of the castle and the stone walls casted creepy shadows on the floors but then the classrooms themselves were enough to make a weak person gag.

The first event of Potions was the potions master, Professor Snape, taunting Harry. It took Lyra until the end of her first school day to find out that Harry was famous in the wizarding world. It was quite a shock as he never mentioned it to her, but he admitted to her that he still wasn't too sure as to why he was so well-known.

Draco, the boy from the train who had now been sorted into Slytherin, made his laughter known throughout the lesson as Professor Snape continued to mock Harry and it really began to annoy Lyra. She knew her fuse on bullies was short but she tried to keep her anger hidden – she refused to let her new self slip into her old habits and the ghost of her nickname sniggered at the back of her mind.

"What's the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane, Potter?" Professor Snape snapped and Harry blinked, simply staring at the professor. Harry sat opposite Lyra at their stations and it took a lot for Lyra not to laugh at his expression. He shrugged and Hermione's hand flew up beside them and shook in the air eagerly.

"I don't know sir because I haven't memorised my every single one of my textbooks but I think Hermione knows, why don't you ask her?" He replied and Lyra bit her bottom lip, trying not to laugh. The very atmosphere turned dreadfully bitter at his sarcastic response.

"Put your hand down, you foolish girl," Snape scolded Hermione and she frowned, letting her hand drop while her face flushed pink, "And ten points from Gryffindor for Potter's cheek." The potions master stalked over to his own desk and began instructing the class with a method of how to brew their first potion. Lyra grabbed her quill and began noting down his instructions while the class copied in silence. Her gaze flicked up to Harry who had caught her eye and imitated her smile, _Note to self; Snape dislikes Harry._

The fumes from the classroom were rather dense and it made Lyra's throat dry but as she cleared her throat in the silence, she heard Snape slam his quill down and felt his dark eyes glare into her back.

"Black, stop talking," He called out and everyone's eyes flicked to Lyra as she froze, a hand covering her mouth as she coughed. Her eyebrows furrowed and she turned to look at her professor.

"I coughed-,"

"Black, I told you to stop talking – another ten points from Gryffindor for disobedience. This is not a good start," He droned, turning back to his notes and Lyra felt her jaw drop open. She turned to glance at the other Gryffindors and they were furious but her eyes caught sight of the Slytherins silently laughing at the reactions in front of them and it didn't surprise Lyra that Draco was leading the laughter. She sighed softly and dropped her gaze to her work, _Note to self; Snape dislikes me._

* * *

The groundskeeper lived in a cosy hut near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The forest was vast and full of creatures that Lyra had only thought lived in fairytales. Throughout the first week, Lyra had began memorising her books in case any of the teachers surprised them with any unexpected quizzes and, as from today, Lyra knew that Professor Snape was the one to watch.

Harry knocked on Hagrid's hut door and the three of them heard a loud bark from inside. It took a few seconds for Hagrid to welcome them inside but Lyra was more than happy to go inside to elude anymore plaguing thoughts about Professor Snape.

"Make yerselves at home," Hagrid said as he pulled a large black boarhound called Fang from the door but his fingers slipped from his collar and Fang bounded straight for Ron, licking his face. The three graciously sat down on the huge armchairs and settled down, thanking Hagrid for their oversized mugs of tea.

"That's Ron," Harry gestured to Ron who smiled, "And this is Lyra." Hagrid looked at the pair and smiled, nodding at them both for a few seconds.

"Another Weasley? I've spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest," He sighed and he offered them a plate of rock cakes which almost broke their teeth. Lyra nibbled on the cake, hoping it wouldn't make any lasting damage but the cakes were still sweet enough to eat.

The four spoke about their lessons and Potions came up in their conversation but Hagrid dismissed their claims that Professor Snape hated Harry and Lyra.

"Nonsense, why would he?" He asked and Harry shrugged.

"I dunno but he seems to really _hate_ me," He replied and Lyra nodded.

"He took away ten points from me for _coughing_! I mean, it was a_cough_!" She exclaimed and Hagrid's beard twitched but he stopped it with a shake of his head.

"Rubbish, he has no reason to hate you both." Lyra nodded but noticed that his voice wavered.

The subject moved back to Ron's brother Charlie, who Lyra had found out worked with dragons. She tried to listen to the conversation but the rustle of a newspaper called the _Daily Prophet_ drew her attention to the article Harry had begun to read. It told the pair about a strange break-in at Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley.

"Wait, this was on my birthday. Hagrid, we might have been there when it happened!" He interrupted, shoving the paper at Hagrid and he took it, glancing at the headlines. Lyra definitely noted the distance in his expression as he passed the newspaper back. Harry re-read the paper, mumbling to himself but Lyra tried to diffuse the tension by striking another conversation up with Hagrid.

"How long have you worked at Hogwarts, Hagrid?" Lyra asked, sipping her tea and Hagrid smile easily, happy to change the topic.

"Many years now, I've seen generations come an' go, like the Weasleys, for example," He informed and Lyra nodded but a thought came to her suddenly.

"Did you ever meet my parents? I mean, Professor Dumbledore told me that they were wizards so…?" She trailed off and Hagrid shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Coughing, he glanced at the crooked wooden clock on the wall and rubbed his hands together.

"Yer dinner starts in a few minutes, yer better go. Come back anytime, all of yer," He announced loudly, standing up and the three followed suit. Once they left the hut, Lyra nodded to herself to confirm a thought – Hagrid certainly knew more than he let on.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to a guest for their review! And to ****_T. H. Enesley, FasterThenMyBullet _****for the fave and ****_LuckedClover _****for following! **

**All reviews are very helpful, thanks!**

* * *

"Flying lessons with the Slytherins?"

The notice in the Gryffindor Common Room had appeared overnight and Lyra had read it out to her classmates around her. Her insides resembled snakes as they slithered around in her stomach at the thought of embarrassing herself in front of Draco Malfoy and his idiotic friends. She had been thrilled at the prospect of riding a broom but now, she was incredibly nervous.

"Great, I really wanted to make a fool out of myself in front of Malfoy,"" Harry commented as he scowled at the notice board and Lyra patted his back.

"You'll be fine, don't worry. If you do embarrass yourself, I'll fall off my broom and steal your spotlight," She vowed and Harry perked up as the first years made their way down to breakfast. To both Harry and Lyra's ill fortune, it seemed that many of the other wizarding children had ridden their brooms from the age of one and they were sharing their childhood experiences over their breakfast. Seamus and Ron were re-enacting their favourite broom moments while Neville began scaring Hermione and the other girls with his dreadful broomstick falls but Harry, Dean and Lyra were trying to eat their breakfast without scarring themselves.

"I can't bear to listen to them talk about brooms and Quidditch any longer," Dean grumbled and Harry smirked, turning to Lyra to explain that Dean and Ron were arguing that morning about differences in football and Quidditch.

"What team do you support?" Lyra asked, scooping her cereal into her mouth and Dean grinned. "West Ham, always have and always will." Lyra rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Of all the teams, you choose West Ham?" Lyra snorted and Dean frowned, shuffling in his seat.

"Yes, they're brilliant-,"

"Why not Arsenal?" Harry chipped in slyly with the knowledge he had picked up from the children in his primary school, "I mean, they won the league last year so-,"

"What are you talking about?" Ron interrupted with an extremely confused expression and Lyra smirked and began describing various football teams when Draco Malfoy strolled past and grabbed something out of Neville's open hands.

"Longbottom, why do you have a Remembrall?" He sneered, peering into the glass ball and Neville blushed, hiding his face as he tidied away the packaging.

"Draco, why do you care?" Lyra scoffed ardently and Draco scowled at her, dropping the ball back into Neville's hand.

"I was just looking, Black, but if I were you, I would seriously consider who to back up next time." Lyra glared at Draco as she strutted over to the Slytherin table with a grin slapped on his pale face. She rolled her eyes and got up from the table as the rest of the first years had began making their way down to the grounds where Madam Hooch was waiting for them.

Lyra followed Hermione down the grassy slopes but Hermione seemed to be very interested in a thick library book called _Frenzy-Free Flights: Broomsticks For Beginners_. She smiled and took the book from Hermione suddenly and tucked it tightly under one arm.

"Lyra, I wasn't finished-,"

"There are some things you need to learn by physically taking part, Hermione. You'll be fine," She nudged her side playfully, "don't worry." Hermione pressed her lips together and stopped struggling for her book. "Fine," She grumbled but Lyra swore she saw her lips curl into a smile.

"Welcome to your first flying lesson," Madam Hooch, a beady-eyed witch with bright eyes announced loudly as the Gryffindors and Slytherins quickly stood beside a fallen broomstick. Lyra made sure she was as far away from Draco Malfoy as possible yet his smug sneer still made its way down to her.

The lesson went better than expected. The broomstick below her managed to levitate and obey her the first time she asked, the broom flying straight to her open hands. At her touch, a strange warmth spread in between her fingers and it reminded her of the feeling she felt when she held her wand for the first time. Grinning, Lyra waited patiently for the other students to instruct their brooms.

Suddenly, the lesson fell to a screeching halt. Neville's broom had malfunctioned and launched him high into the air and the whole class gasped, wincing in pain, as the figure of Neville fell to the ground from a great height with a _thud_. Luckily, the worst thing Neville received was a broken wrist but it was enough to send Madam Hooch and Neville away from the lesson for a long time.

"The first one on their broom will be expelled before they can say the word 'Quidditch'. Stay on the ground," Madam Hooch ordered as she led Neville to the infirmary and Lyra felt her teeth dig into her bottom lip.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" Hermione whispered loudly to Lyra and she nodded.

"I sure hope so-,"

"Look! Longbottom dropped something!" Draco exclaimed, grinning as he revealed Neville's Remembrall from amongst the tall grass blades. Harry gently pushed past Lyra and walked over to Draco, demanding that he gave it to him as Neville would want it back. The argument grew between them and soon, the two boys were using their brooms to settle the row over the glass ball.

"They're going to be in so much trouble," Hermione droned, crossing her arms as she glared at the pair of flying boys but Lyra's mouth fell open in awe as Harry launched himself into a flawless dive and caught the ball as if the task was incredibly easy. She clapped along with the rest of the class but a scream from Professor McGonagall made the group jump out of their skins.

"Did you see his face? He's definitely expelled now," Draco cackled, smirking after Harry and McGonagall's retreating figures and Lyra gritted her teeth, staring at Draco.

"It's your fault, Draco, you're the one who should be in trouble," Lyra barked and Draco stopped laughing and turned to face her. His cold light eyes caught hers and they seemed to glint at Harry's misfortune.

"Too bad Potter is the one walking to his demise."

"He's not going to be expelled, you idiot. The worst he'll get is a detention," Lyra scoffed and crossed her arms, "Gosh, you're really pathetic, aren't you?"

Draco took a step towards Lyra and the whole class fell silent, "Pathetic? I'll show you whose the pathetic one – Meet me at midnight in the trophy room for a wizards duel and bring Potter." A few gasps travelled through the crowd and Lyra straightened her spine. She had no idea what a wizards duel was.

"Fine, its on-,"

"And I'm their second," Ron added taking his place beside Lyra with his eyebrows furrowed and Draco nodded, looking at Crabbe and Goyle with a devious grin, "Fine, Weasley. I'll be looking forward to kicking your asses tonight then. Make sure you bring something to wipe your tears up with," He shouted as the Slytherins headed off to their next lesson. Lyra stared after them for a few seconds but her eyes caught sight of something swinging from an ugly gargoyle sat on one of the spikes on the roof before her classmates brought her attention back to the situation.

"Are you coming, Lyra?" Ron asked, joining the Gryffindors and Lyra blinked hard. She nodded but her curiosity to both find out what was swinging from the gargoyle and the thrill of riding a broom was too much.

"Hang on," She mumbled and straddled one of the brooms. It shook at the contact and rose off of the group and her heart began to pound. Was this a good idea?

"What are you doing?!" Ron gasped, dropping his bag and grabbing Hermione attention. She gawked and watched as Lyra angled her broom handle towards the sky and shot towards the roof.

The sensation of flying was incredible. Lyra could feel the breeze blow through her hair and each breath of wind kissed her freckled cheeks. The panic left her instantly as she swiftly reached the gargoyle and pulled off the remains of Neville's torn robes. She tucked the robes safely under one arm before touching down on the ground directly in front of a stunned Ron and Hermione.

"I can't believe you disobeyed Madam Hooch like that…" Hermione whispered with her brown eyes wide, "First a duel and now _this?_"

"Oh, shut up Hermione," Ron whined and earned himself a sore stare from Hermione. He gave Lyra a quick high-five and cheered, "That was awesome! Now let's go before Professor Flitwick notices we're late for his lesson!" Lyra nodded and followed the two into the castle but all that was pulsing through her veins was adrenaline from riding a broomstick for the first time in her whole life – it felt so natural.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to ****_chaansan_**** for the wonderful advice and review! And also to my guest who is enjoying the story, thank you! A quick cheers to ****_StormSky, Takara Matsudaira, NeverTrustAnAngel _****for the faves and follows! All reviews, faves and follows are very helpful!**

**I also apologise that this year isn't very au as I can't do a lot with the first year considering it could mess up the rest of my plans haha! But it does get better, I promise you that!**

* * *

"I can't believe this!"

Hermione sat beside Lyra at the dinner and stared straight at Harry with her mouth slightly open. Lyra rolled her eyes and began to tuck into her bowl of hot stew but the allure of listening to Harry and Ron's conversation was too strong.

"You must be the youngest seeker-,"

"In a century, apparently," Harry grinned, shovelling his pie into his mouth and Ron gawked, utterly mesmerised by Harry. Lyra snorted and watched as Fred and George came over to congratulate him.

"He shouldn't be earning all of this attention," Hermione complained, "He broke the rules and he's getting rewarded for that!" She shook her head and huffed, stabbing at her own bowl of food. Lyra shrugged and sipped the cold goblet of pumpkin juice.

"He's famous, right?" Lyra asked, nodding to Harry who was too busy discussing Quidditch with the Weasley twins, and Hermione nodded.

"Honestly, Lyra, I thought you would have read all about it by now-,"

"I have but I was just making a point! It's the same in the Muggle World – famous people get special treatment," Lyra explained, laughing at Hermione's fed-up expression, but Hermione's constant mutters reminded Lyra of a crucial detail.

"Ron," She piped up, and both Harry and Ron looked over, "What exactly is a wizard's duel?" Ron whined and slapped his forehead, suddenly beckoning Lyra over.

"I forgot about that! Harry, Lyra sort of dragged you into a wizards duel tonight-,"

"Hey! I didn't mean to!" Lyra jested and Harry frowned, trying to piece the information together.

"Wait, what? Against who?" Harry asked and the three of them glanced over to the Slytherin table where Draco Malfoy sat sneering as his friends around him roared with laughter. Harry's face twisted in disgust and huffed, asking them what had happened. Ron explained to the pair the rules of a wizards duel as they finished their dinner.

"You can't go wandering around Hogwarts after hours," Hermione spoke up as they all rose from their seats.

"Yeah we can," Ron retaliated and Hermione scowled, crossing her arms.

"I mean you _shouldn't_-," She corrected with a huff and Harry rolled his eyes.

"It's really none of your business," He said and Ron smirked, leading Harry away from Hermione as he explained what the plan would be for later. Lyra bit her lip and glanced at Hermione anxiously. She liked Hermione and a small voice in the back of her head was telling her that she was right in warning them but a much louder voice told Lyra to kick Draco's ass.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," She mumbled and ran over to Harry and Ron, joining in on the plan for the wizards duel tonight, leaving Hermione standing in the Great Hall all by herself.

"Lyra?"

Lyra jerked awake and rubbed her aching eyes. The only remaining light in the Gryffindor Common Room came from the fireplace and it barely lit up the room but she could still make out the figures of Harry and Ron.

"Is it time?" She whispered, putting her book down on the armchair's seat and they nodded, creeping over towards her with light, soft footsteps.

"Is Hermione asleep?" Ron asked and Lyra nodded, smiling at the strange question.

"Yeah, she went up ages ago – why?" She asked and Ron frowned, fiddling with his wand that sat in between his fingers.

"I just didn't want her to follow us, that's all," He mumbled and she nodded. Lyra tightened her robes around her torso and followed the boys to the exit when they heard one more voice.

"Lyra! I told you not to follow through with this!" She exclaimed in a hushed tone, "You'll get into so much trouble and lose us house points." Hermione stood at the bottom of the girls' dormitory steps and glared at the three misfits trying to sneak out of the tower. "I almost told your brother, Ron-,"

"Go back to bed, Hermione!" He grumbled, pointing towards the rooms above them but Hermione shook her head and stalked over to them with large steps. She flicked a lamp on and stood her ground but Lyra glanced at her watch and bit her bottom lip hard.

"We need to go or else we'll be late," Harry muttered into Lyra's ear and she groaned.

"Listen, Hermione. We need to go because we have to. I don't want to have to suffer through the rest of this year with Draco's smug face mocking me and right now is the only chance we've got to prove to him that he's nothing more than an ignorant git. Please," She stared Hermione in the eye, "Let us go."

The three began walking out of the Tower and Hermione didn't stop – she decided to follow them. Ron groaned and slapped his forehead, staring daggers at Hermione.

"She didn't say that you could come!" He exclaimed, the tops of his ears turning bright red and Hermione crossed her arms. She was wasting a lot of their time and it was beginning to get on Lyra's nerves.

"Fine! But if you get caught, don't say I didn't warn you. You're so-," Hermione's rant suddenly ended and it caused the other three to turn around to see that the Fat Lady's picture was now empty. Hermione gasped and shook her head, groaning into her own hands. She turned back around and frowned – "Great, now I can't go back inside!"

Lyra looked at the boys and shrugged, "We can't leave her out here for Filch to find…"

"No way," Ron mumbled but Harry shook his head, "Look, we need to go," He sighed and glanced up at Hermione, "Come on."

By the time the four Gryffindors reached the trophy room, it was a few minutes to midnight. The four wandered around the room, inspecting the shining trophies and wondering aloud about the timekeeping of the Slytherins.

"He's not showing, is he?" Lyra concluded as she leant against a particularly tall cabinet and the other three begrudgingly agreed.

"Maybe he's-,"

"They're in here somewhere," A wheezy voice suddenly called out and the group of four froze, holding their breath and staring at each other in sheer panic. It was a trap – Filch knew they were here. Lyra tiptoed over to Harry and beckoned the others over, hoping that they weren't making any sounds. "The only door is near Filch!" Harry whispered with his eyes wide but Lyra shook her head and began scanning the walls with her shaking hands. She had heard some of the older students say that the castle was full of secret passages so there had to be one in here.

"What are you doing?!" Hermione mouthed, her knees physically knocking at the thought of getting caught out of bed but Lyra felt the unusual space behind a towering tapestry. She lifted it up and revealed a passage tall enough for them to shuffle through. The sighs of relief came too quick as Ron brushed one of the suits of armour nearby as he dived into the passageway. The metal armour fell to the floor with an almighty crash and the jig was immediately up. Hermione gasped, staring at the scene but Lyra shoved her into the secret passageway, hoping that Filch didn't spot the tapestry sway as she returned it to its original position. The four Gryffindors sprinted down the cold tunnel and fell out the other side into a corridor they didn't recognise.

"Come _on_," Lyra moaned, pushing them out in front of her before glancing over her shoulder, "I think he knew about the passage! We need to go!" She breathed and Hermione's bottom lip began to tremble but Ron's sour made it stop instantly. Harry sighed and followed Lyra's plan and encouraged the pair to continue running.

"Where are we?" Hermione choked, trying to massage a stitch in her side as she ran but nobody said a word until they reached an eventual dead end that held only one door. Harry groaned and pulled the door open, pushing the others inside. Lyra tripped over her feet and landed on the floor hard, scraping her hands across the floor. She landed with a soft grunt, her front slamming into the ground as she heard the door swing shut, but the breeze that brushed her face made her eyes snap open.

A gigantic three-headed dog glared down at her with its fangs bared. Lyra felt her stomach shrivel up and disappear while her heart froze, dropping down to the bottom her ribcage. Three pairs of blood-thirsty orange eyes caught her own grey pair and she felt her voice melt in her throat. She scrambled to her feet and dove at the three who were leant against the door, catching their breath.

"Ssh! Filch might be-,"

"Forget Filch – Look!" Lyra screamed, pointing at the beast that slowly got to its four enormous paws and the three beside her froze up, their eyes wide in fright.

"RUN!" Harry bellowed, throwing the door back open just as the dog launched itself at the four trespassers. Lyra reached up to slam the door shut behind them but her eyes caught sight of a trapdoor underneath one of the dog's paws. She gasped and yanked the door then followed the other three as they darted back up to the Gryffindor Tower.

The four Gryffindors almost collapsed on the floor as they reached the Fat Lady. She eyed them suspiciously but begrudgingly let them is as they craved the safety of their beds.

"Why has Dumbledore locked that _thing_ up in a school? He's mental!" Ron exclaimed, struggling to climb into the portrait but Hermione shoved him inside roughly, angry that she had to suffer the shock from the dog.

"It must have been there for a reason, Ron. Professor Dumbledore wouldn't simply let that dog live there! That was the forbidden east wing on the third floor after all," Hermione shouted back, tightening the ties on her fluffy pink dressing gown.

"This is Hogwarts, not some silly muggle school – It could have-,"

"They could be here all night," Harry mumbled to Lyra as the pair watched Ron and Hermione argue and she agreed with a smirk.

"I know, but Hermione's right – the dog was standing on a trapdoor, but now is certainly not the time to figure it out, I'm knackered," She replied and Harry nodded, absorbing the information up before he wished Lyra a good night. He grabbed Ron's arm and dragged him away from Hermione as they disappeared behind the boys' dormitory staircase yet Harry had time to send Lyra one last grin. Hermione huffed and stormed up to the girls' dormitory, muttering to herself about how she could have been killed tonight.

They reached their room and Lyra closed the door behind them, biting her lip in regret as Hermione climbed into her scarlet and gold bed.

"Hermione, I'm sorry about tonight," She whispered, creeping over to her own bed and Hermione looked at her through the darkness, "I didn't mean to shout, I just-,"

"No, I understand."

Lyra stopped and gazed at Hermione, her brown eyes trained on her own grey ones. Lyra slipped on her pajamas and crawled underneath her own covers. Confusion swept over her as she turned to face Hermione.

"What do you mean-,"

"Draco is a bully, I know a bully when I see one and I completely understand why you had to go after him," She yawned and shuffled further under the warmth of her duvet, "I just wish that next time, you shouldn't be doing it after hours in case you are caught. Goodnight Lyra."

Lyra stared at Hermione in silence for a few seconds before pulling the cover up to her chin. She let her eyes slowly close but before sleep took her under, she turned and caught Hermione's gaze.

"I'm glad you understand, Hermione. It's nice to have a friend who understands."


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank yous! To my follows (****_Iri711, Amis55, , chaasan, Magicmarauder171, LyraBlack22) _****my faves (****_GryffindorPrefect13, chaasan) _****and my two reviewers (chaasan - thank you! I'm glad you like it!) and (Guest - I know, they're my favourite!)**

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Halloween arrived to the castle with the undeniably scent of pumpkins and sweet sugar. Lyra woke up on the thirty-first to the sound of hooting in her ear and a cold beak nipping at her cheek. She went to swat the strange sensation away but she felt his feathers underneath her fingers, alerting her of her owl.

"Apollo, what are you doing?" She moaned, sleepily taking the letter from his beak and scanning the slanted cursive ink. It took her a few moments to process the new information but it still hit her hard.

_Dear Lyra,  
Happy Twelfth Birthday! Forgive me in not informing you before but it had completely slipped my mind. I hope your day is pleasant and enjoy the Halloween feast this evening.  
Professor Dumbledore  
P.S I do hope you enjoy these as I have become quite partial to them through time._

Lyra blinked and felt two hands squeeze her chest in a tight grip. She struggled to breathe for a few seconds but the notion settled inside. She felt the parchment in between her fingers burn up and ignite but she couldn't help it. The feeling inside her was very strong and unfamiliar. Lyra never celebrated her birthday before as she had not known when it was, usually she merged the celebration with Christmas to save any hassle.

She shuffled the envelope around and a small package fell into her lap. She picked it up and read the strange font – _Fizzing Whizzbees_. Arching an eyebrow, Lyra pocketed the bizarre wizard candy with the prospect of eating them in class later.

Hermione, Lavender and Parvati all climbed out of bed, wishing each other a good morning but only Hermione noticed Lyra's distant stare.

"Are you ok?" She asked, slowly changing into a fresh set of robes and Lyra nodded, wiping her confusion off of her face with ease.

"Yeah, yeah… Its, urm, it's my birthday today!" She announced, unsure of how steady her voice was and Hermione grinned.

"Happy birthday!" She exclaimed and Lyra thanked her quietly before scooping up her school and following her new found friend down into the common room.

Halloween in a wizarding castle was something of a spectacle. Live bats flew through the rooms, squawking and flapping their wings, while the suits of armour rattled and jumped out at unsuspecting victims as they tried to make their way to class. Peeves the poltergeist also used Halloween to his advantage as he found it hilarious when a gaggle of students ran off screaming after he had dropped slime over their heads.

"PEEVES!" Lyra screamed as she received a mouthful of blue powder. She was currently in the second floor study on her way to Charms but her journey was rudely interrupted by another dreadful prank. The cobalt mess covered her face and clothes and it began to sting her eyes. Turning around, Lyra expected to see the sleazy poltergeist above her but instead, she came face to face with Fred, George and Lee Jordan. They were bent over double, clutching their stomachs as tears streamed down their screwed-up faces.

"Oh my God, one day I will murder you three!" Lyra groaned, attempted to violently rub the powder off of her face but she summoned a soft giggle, "and _of course_ you chose blue."

"TRICK OR TREAT!" They screamed and returned to their laughter.

"To be perfectly honest, we were aiming for Angelina and Katie," George managed to say as he pointed towards the two girls nearby, "but this victory is so much sweeter."

Lyra huffed and shook her head, turning back to the direction of Professor Flitwick's classroom, "Does this stuff come off?"

"Not for a few hours!" Lee Jordan cackled at her retreating back.

"Happy Halloween!" They chanted and Lyra bit her lip, smiling despite her new appearance. She tried to sneak into the classroom unnoticed with her head down as her classmates were still settling in but a snicker from behind made her stomach drop.

"Merlin's Beard, Black – You look like you've been snogging the giant squid!" Draco Malfoy cackled, pointing at Lyra. She glared at him and slammed her bag down on her desk that sat directly opposite his across the room.

"Actually it's the Smurf Power, you see, they've heard how much of a git you are and have granted me the power to kick your arse so if you wanna go outside and settle this…?" Lyra snapped back, taking her seat in between Harry and Neville. Malfoy glared and sat down, muttering into Crabbe and a boy called Blaise's ear.

"What actually happened?" Harry muttered quietly as Flitwick began the lesson and Lyra huffed, still attempting to scrub the blue off of her face.

"Fred, George and Lee," She murmured, pulling out the wizarding sweets Dumbledore had given her as a present and began eating the odd candy, "Do you want one?" Harry nodded and picked one out.

"Of course it was," He replied and popped the sweet into his mouth, "What _are_ these?"

Lyra made a face as she tried the candy and laughed as Harry's face mirrored hers perfectly, "I don't know but they certainly aren't Mars Bars for sure!" They laughed and continued to eat the sweets as Flitwick began to split the students into pairs to try and levitate a single feather. Lyra shuffled up to Neville as he was her pair but he began to babble about how bad he was.

"Oh, come on Neville. You never know how good you are until you try," Lyra told Neville and he frowned, prodding the feather with his wand.

"Why don't you do it first?" He complained and Lyra smiled awkwardly.

"I, er, I've already done it. Hermione and I were going through a few spells ahead of lessons and-," Neville cut her off with a moan.

"See? What's the point…" Lyra stared and shook her head, determined to make Neville complete the spell.

"Neville, you never know how useful this spell could be in the future so try and perfect it now – go on!" She encouraged, playfully nudging his arm and he huffed.

"Fine." It took Neville a few attempts of muttering the spell to pronounce it right yet soon enough, the feather shook and rose off of the table for a few seconds before floating back down. Neville's face lit up brighter than the candles illuminating the class and Lyra grinned, patting Neville's arm in congratulations.

"You did it! See, all you needed was-,"

Lyra's voice trailed off as she heard Hermione and Ron bicker loudly behind her. Neville smiled and turned to his right, telling whoever was nearest of his achievements but Lyra couldn't help but watch as Ron crossed his arms and glared at Hermione as her feather shot into the air gracefully.

Class ended quickly but Lyra couldn't stand to stay in the classroom where Malfoy continued his impressions of Lyra and her blue face. He had resulted in covering his own with his ink and imitating her voice yet the effect made her veins boil. She could feel the power race through her like adrenaline and she knew that it was only a matter of seconds for something inside her to arise but it disappeared the seconds she was joined by Harry, Ron, Seamus and Dean.

"A little bird told us it was your birthday!" Seamus exclaimed, slapping her back in appreciation but Lyra couldn't help notice that Seamus' eyebrows had been scorched off.

"I wonder who that was, where's Hermione?" Lyra mumbled, looking around for her but Ron made a face and swore.

"Merlin, Hermione is a nightmare! Honestly, she thinks she knows it all – how can you stand to be friends with her?" Ron asked as the others laughed but Lyra's jaw dropped open. Suddenly, somebody rushed past the group with their hands covering their face but all it took was for them to see the bushy mane of brown hair to figure out who it was.

"I can't believe you just said that!" Lyra exclaimed, removing herself from the centre of the group, "And you, for laughing!" She looked at Harry who removed the smile from his face instantly. She shoved her notes from class into his hands and ran off after Hermione.

"Maybe you shouldn't have said it so loudly," Dean muttered to Ron and he nodded, instantly looking guilty at his words but Harry could only stare at Lyra's notes in amazement as the parchment she gave him was on fire.

* * *

"Hermione, please come out," Lyra whined as she leant against the bathroom stall door. She had been in their for hours, pleading for her friend to resurface into society but Hermione refused to cave in to her request.

"No, go away Lyra," She sobbed, "L-Leave me in here and go enjoy the f-feast.

"I'm not hungry," Lyra stated but her stomach decided to betray her by rumbling loudly. Lyra cursed under her breath and huffed.

"Betrayed by my own stomach, how rude," Lyra said sourly and she heard Hermione let out a watery giggle.

"Just g-go, Lyra, I'll be fine."

"No, I'm not leaving my friend to cry in the bathroom on Halloween. I mean, it's my birthday," Lyra added with a smile but her appeal was met with a dragging silence. Lyra bit her lip and pressed her ear to the door but it suddenly gave way and she fell onto her back. She looked up and saw Hermione standing in the doorway, staring down at her with puffy, red eyes.

"D-Do you mean that?" She squeaked quietly and Lyra nodded, still laying down on the bathroom floor since her hunger and laziness overruled any chance of getting up, "Obviously, why else would I stay in this bathroom for hours if I didn't like you?"

Hermione blubbered and pulled Lyra off of the floor and enveloped her in a tight hug.

"I've never had a friend before," Hermione mumbled and Lyra fought the urge to let her own tears fall. She never thought of the prospect of finding someone who was just as alone as her at Hogwarts and the fact she, herself, had a real friend now really tore her emotions apart.

"To be honest, I never had-," Lyra said but her sentence was torn off as the pair felt the ground vibrate. They froze and turned around; looking for the source but it wasn't until they heard an almighty grunt from the door that they saw it.

An enormous troll stood before them with thick, leathery pea-green skin, gigantic ears and a painfully large club in its gnarly hands. Hermione drew in breath and screamed, her grip tightening on Lyra as she struggled to stay calm. Lyra tried to pry her fingers off as they were beginning to hurt.

"That's a mountain troll!" Hermione whispered into Lyra's ear in fright but Lyra bit her lip and nodded, slowly forcing Hermione and herself away from the beast.

"I know it is but what on earth is it doing in the girls' bathroom?!" Lyra breathed.

All of a sudden, the bathroom doors swung open from behind the troll and Harry and Ron rushed in, gawking at the troll. Lyra caught Harry's eye and mouthed 'Help us!' as she tried to keep Hermione calm. The troll noticed the girls and began to swing its club at them but Lyra managed to shove Hermione into a cubicle shouting, "Duck!"

The club hit the wooden stall and the wood shattered, spraying chunks everywhere. Lyra felt a plank slice and splinter one of her cheeks but she ignored it as the pipes around her collapsed from another smash of the troll's club.

The two boys began to distract the troll, shouting profanities and insults in the hope that the troll would let the girls escape. Hermione waded through the wood and reached Lyra but it was hopeless as one of the pipes had trapped Lyra's right foot as it fell. She winced and searched for her wand.

"Hermione, go over to the sinks," She told her quietly but Hermione froze, shaking her head vigorously.

"I'm not leaving you here-,"

Lyra laughed but gasped as her foot began to pulse from injury, "I'm not dying, just go!" Hermione pressed her lips together and dove over to the sinks for cover. Unfortunately, her sudden movement caught the troll's eye and sent his focus her way. She squeaked and cried for help.

"Oi!" Lyra shouted, trying to distract the troll and it worked for a few seconds. He swung his club and barley missed Lyra by a few inches. Shaking, she threw a piece of pipe at the troll but it seemed to anger him even more. Hermione coped with her fear and dashed over to where Harry and Ron were stood, breathing hard as the stress coursed through her.

"Harry, do something!" Ron shouted, pulling his wand out but Harry panicked and launched himself at the troll. It drew the troll's attention away from Lyra for a moment but Lyra spotted Hermione muttering into Ron's ear, instructing on what to do next.

The troll threw Harry off of its back and its spiky hand gripped the club and took one final aim at Lyra. She held her breath and ripped her leg from the pipe, yanking her foot free finally. She crawled backwards, looking for an escape plan but it hit her harder than the jets of water pouring from the pipes around the bathroom.

Ron pointed his wand at the troll's club and shouted, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_" The club suddenly became still, freezing in mid-air and shocking the troll. Lyra struggled to her feet and panicked when the troll dismissed its club and lunged straight for her. She threw her hands out in front of herself and the jets of water beside her shot towards the troll, knocking it onto its back. The club that Ron had controlled shook and fell directly onto the troll's face.

All that could be heard in the bathroom was the gentle trickling of water and heavy breathing. The four Gryffindors stood side by side, staring at the troll, debating whether it was safe for them to leave, but the silence was soon interrupted by a group of teachers, all staring in utter astonishment.

"What in the – Explain yourselves!" Professor McGonagall roared, a hand clutching her chest. She stared at the scene and Lyra felt the blood rush to her blue cheeks. She hoped that the water from the pipes had washed some of the powder off of her face but she was disappointed when she heard Professor Snape snarl.

"What in Merlin's name happened to your face, Black?" Lyra bit her lip and looked up, smiling weakly.

"Peeves," She mumbled, not wanting to get the Weasley Twins and Lee into trouble. He rolled his eyes and frowned, watching Professor McGonagall with satisfaction as she shouted at the four first years.

"You could have gotten yourselves killed!" She shrieked and Lyra shrugged.

"But we weren't killed though, that's what I kept reminding Hermione when the troll nearly hit me-,"

"Miss Black I do not want to hear your cheek!" She ordered and Lyra fell silent. She stared at her head of house, waiting for their punishment but it didn't come. Instead, Hermione's voice echoed as she lied, taking the damage for all of them. Harry and Ron stared at Hermione in disbelief as she lied through her teeth but Lyra had to cover her face in case she laughed. She did, however, catch Snape eye which caused his eyes to narrow in suspicion.

"Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your stupidity, Miss Granger," her eyes flicked to Lyra, Harry and Ron, "but fifteen points will be awarded for your dumb luck! Now, head off to your common room, the feast is continuing in the tower. Oh, and Miss Black?" They stopped and watched as McGonagall approached Lyra.

She tapped her wand on Lyra's forehead and the blue powder melted away as if it was never there. McGonagall pursed her lips and shook her head, "This is the second time I've seen you with your face dyed blue."

Lyra grinned cheekily, "I guess it's just meant to be Professor, goodnight."

The four rushed from the bathroom and made it all the way up to the seventh floor before they said a single word. Before they reached the Fat Lady's portrait, Ron stopped and tapped Hermione's shoulder. He began to apologise for what he had said outside of Charms.

"Blimey, Ron is actually apologising," Lyra mumbled and Harry shrugged.

"He felt bad but I think having helped her fight a mountain troll had something to do with it." Lyra grinned and nodded, agreeing. They was about to enter the common room when Hermione interrupted Lyra's train of thought.

"What was that thing you did with the water? I've never read anything in any of my books about controlling water like that before?" Lyra winced and shrugged. The other three seemed to wait for her reply in awe.

"It's nothing. Dumbledore said I had an unnatural skill with magic, I guess." Harry nodded and grinned.

"Well, that nothing saved our lives, so thank you 'Lyra's power'," He announced and Lyra fought a blush then entered the Gryffindor Tower. Hermione agreed with Harry's statement but Ron barged through, staring at the plates of food. "Yeah, yeah thanks Lyra, but let's go get some food. I'm starving!" He moaned and the four spent the rest of the night in each other's company.

As Lyra laid in her bed, fill to the brim from the Halloween feast, her last thought made her smile – _"__Best birthday ever!"_


	10. Chapter 10

**THANK YOU TO ****_Guest_**** FOR THE REVIEW! I'm glad you thought it was cute Also a quick thanks to ****_mayejrmorris, jessashelby and emily-singh_**** for the follows! I'm very thankful :)**

* * *

Lyra sat at her table in potions, tracing the marks in the surface with a finger as she listened to the scratching of Professor Snape's quill. Detentions with the Potions Master seemed to become a regular thing, whether she actually broke a rule or he felt specifically distasteful towards her today.

This detention was caused by Lyra completing her potion earlier than she was supposed to. As ridiculous as the punishment was, McGonagall deemed it fit that Snape had a point in gruelling her – "He is your professor and you must listen to him, Miss Black."

Lyra let out a huff and checked her watch. In ten minutes time, the first Quidditch game of the year was about to start yet she was still stuck down in the dungeons with the professor she loathed the most._Typical_, she grumbled and continued to glare at the table top.

"I believe Gryffindor are playing today," Professor Snape drawled. It wasn't a question. Lyra looked up and saw his black eyes bore into hers.

"Yes," She replied quickly. Her stomach fluttered, would he let her go? She'd never seen a Quidditch game before and it was Harry's first – she couldn't possibly miss it.

"And you want to go and support your house, don't you?" The growing smile on his face made her skin crawl. Lyra begrudgingly nodded but she couldn't stand to let Snape know how much she wanted to go. She bit her lip and waited for his verdict.

He tutted and stood up behind his desk, shuffling his parchment around just to annoy Lyra, "It's such a shame that you're down here. Maybe next time you will know to follow my orders and do as you are told."

"Of course, Professor, it's just I couldn't stand to wait. I'm very impatient," Lyra said calmly, her leg shaking from the anticipation. Snape frowned and walked in front of his desk, crossing his arms. Lyra glanced at the Potions Master but her eyes caught sight of his left leg. His robes had parted slightly and she caught a glimpse of a bloody bandage. Snape seemed to realise what Lyra was staring at and all colour in his face disappeared.

"Go, Black."

Lyra couldn't believe her ears.

"Wait, you're letting me go to the Quidditch match?" She stuttered, getting up from her chair and he rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed at how happy he had made her.

"Just go. I need to watch the game as well, since my own house is sure to win-,"

"I wouldn't bet on it Professor, I heard Gryffindor have got the best team in the school since Harry joined." Lyra saw Snape's eyes flash at the mention of Harry and his features contorted into a fit of irritation.

"I will tell you once more before I keep you here for the whole day, Black – Go." Lyra didn't need to be told a fourth time. She ran from the dungeon, up the twirling flights of stairs, through the Entrance Hall and out into the breezy grounds. Her robes flew out behind her as she sprinted down gravel paths towards the Quidditch Stadium that lived in the far east of the grounds. Lyra ran into the stadium and struggled to find the correct stand. It took her a while but she eventually found Hermione and Ron.

"Snape let you _go?_" Ron exclaimed over the screams as game had only just began. Bent over double and breathing hard, Lyra barely nodded before collapsing into the seat behind her. The Quidditch players on their brooms moved through the air in scarlet and emerald blurs but it took her a few seconds to let her eyes adjust to the speed.

"So, would you care to explain to me what's happening?" Lyra asked Ron and he nodded excitedly, launching into an elaborate explanation. Hermione gave up listening and cheered along with Neville and Lavender nearby as Angelina Johnson scored the first goal.

"Ten points to Gryffindor!"  
"Is that Lee?" Lyra asked Ron as Lee Jordan's voice rang out through the stadium. Ron grinned and nodded, pointing up to one of the tallest stands where Lee Jordan sat beside Professor McGonagall.

"He started his commentary last year, according to Fred and George," He informed her as Hagrid joined the group.

"You came!" Lyra exclaimed, smiling at the giant groundskeeper and he nodded, searching the air for Harry, "Couldn't miss Harry's first game, o' course!"

It only took Lyra five minutes to fall in love with Quidditch. She gasped along with the crowd when the players were brutally hit by the bludger, she cheered and clapped when Gryffindor scored but booed loudly at the Snakes when Slytherin caught up. She knew that first years couldn't join the team officially but the undeniable urge to fly again was too strong to resist. She couldn't take her eyes off of Katie Bell as she caught the Quaffle and threw it through the golden hoop in a perfect arc – maybe trying out for a chaser position?

Lyra began to scan the crowds around her when Professor Snape caught her eye in the teacher's stand directly opposite her. His eyes were trained hard on one of the player but as Lyra connected the dots, Harry's broom began to shake violently and tried to throw him off. A collective gasp around the stadium brought the tension and excitement right back up.

"What is he doing?" Hermione gasped, barley covering her eyes and Ron shook his head, muttering, "He's not doing that, he can't be. He's on a Nimbus Two Thousand and those are faultless." Lyra nodded and grabbed their attention by forcing their heads to the direction of Professor Snape. Hermione grabbed Hagrid's binoculars and got a closer look of the suspect.

"Yes, it's him. He's mouthing a jinx of some sort," She whispered and Ron's jaw dropped.

"What do we do?!" He breathed and Lyra nodded, taking Hermione's hand and leading her out of the crowds, "Leave it to us! We'll be right back."

"What's the plan?" Hermione asked as the pair rushed through the stadium's wooden structure and up a couple flights of stairs. Lyra had barely caught her breath from her last journey but this was an emergency. She pushed herself to go faster and soon the pair arrived underneath the professors' stand.

"You stand on guard, keep a look out for any other teachers," Lyra whispered as she climbed the stands. She could see through the gaps of the seats where Snape sat but Professor Quirrell seemed to be right in her way. Lyra grabbed her wand and muttered a few words, hoping that the spell would work straight away. Instantly, a rope flew from the end of her wand and wrapped themselves around Professor Quirrell's legs. She heard him yelp and fall from his seat and into the professors in front of him. Biting her lip to stifle her laughter, Lyra aimed her wand towards Snape and shot a blue flame towards the hem of his black robes.

"Lyra! Someone's coming!" Hermione whispered in a state of panic and Lyra gulped. She jumped down from her hiding place, grabbed Hermione and the pair tore off towards their original stand. It took a few minutes for them to arrive but a loud and animated breath from the crowds above them made them freeze.

"You don't think…?" Hermione asked with her brown eyes wide and Lyra nibbled her lower lip, her brows furrowed.

"Let's go find out," She suggested and the two girls resurfaced to see Harry standing on the Quidditch Pitch, holding the Golden Snitch aloft. Three quarters of the stadium erupted into a thrilling cheer and Lyra couldn't help but yell out in celebration, hugging Hermione.

"He did it!" They screamed, rushing back over to Ron, Neville and their fellow classmates who began hugging each other. Ron beamed at both Hermione and Lyra, confirming that their plan worked perfectly.

"Tea back at mine, I think," Hagrid muttered to the three and they nodded, still joyous at Gryffindor's win.

* * *

"_Fluffy?!_"

Harry, Lyra, Ron and Hermione were currently sat inside Hagrid's hut talking about today's events. Lyra had informed them all about Snape and his bloody leg and Harry suggested that the three-headed dog they had met did it to him. They never knew the beast actually had a name.

Hagrid frowned and sipped his strong cup of tea, "Yeah, I leant him to Dumbledore to guard the-," He cut himself off and turned away, avoiding the four Gryffindor's curious eyes.

"Yes?" Harry badgered on and Hagrid shook his head.

"Look, yer shouldn't even know 'bout Fluffy. Snape wouldn't steal anything cus he's one of the professors guarding the… the _thing_. It's top secret," Hagrid explained, "Only business between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel-," Hagrid froze and looked angry at himself for continuing. The four Gryffindors looked at each other and frowned.

"I should _not_ have said that," Hagrid mumbled guiltily.


	11. Chapter 11

**QUICK IMPORTANT NOTE! I have decided to compile the rest of the story into one more chapter which will be posted soon (maybe a day or two?) as all the interesting things happen at the end of the year as we all know :) Also, I posted the first chapter of Lyra's fourth year as I feel like you would all enjoy that story more because its very dramatic and pretty awesome. Its called ****_Periculum _****if you would like to check it out but I will post years 2 and 3 eventually as well because we all know that they're still brilliant! Thank you :) and as always, I want to thank my new followers ****_NekoAria14, super-anime-fan-23 (as well as _****the fave!) ****_Tangzilla _****and to ****_Maiziaki _****for the fave as well! Thank you to ****_chaansan _****for the tips in the review! **

* * *

In the Muggle World, Lyra hated Christmas.

She usually spent the holiday stuffed in the large living room with the other orphans, forced by the carers to exchange useless gifts as they would feast on cold turkey and watery vegetables. It was also another excuse for the other kids at school to tease Lyra about all their new presents while she barely received a pair of gloves and a scarf.

This year, however, Lyra wasn't in the Muggle World for Christmas – She spent the holidays at Hogwarts with Harry and the Weasleys.

On the twenty-fifth, Lyra woke up to another deafening hoot from Apollo. He sat on top of her, nuzzling his feathered head into her cheeks with a bundle of letters wrapped around his leg. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and greeted her pet with a cheerful, "Merry Christmas!"

Apollo blinked and stared at Lyra as she ignored her morning letters by grabbing a wrapped box from underneath her bed and shoving it in front of the owl.

"Open it then," She told him and the owl pecked at the wrappings. Inside, a bunch of seasonal owl treats fell out and Apollo hooted, flapping his wings in excitement. He launched himself, head first, into her face and nipped her affectionately on the cheek. She laughed and stroked his golden feathers. As Apollo gobbled up the treats, his bright eyes widened and he twisted his head around but Lyra knew exactly what he was doing.

"As much as I love receiving piles of dead mice and voles, you don't have to get me anything today," She told him and he hooted quietly. She untied the letters from his leg and let him take off with the remaining treats in his beak. Lyra opened the first letter on top and her heart panged at who it was from.

_Dear Grace,_

_Merry Christmas! Your headmaster explained everything to me about your first day of school and I feel terrible that I didn't stay to stop it. I hope you are having a great time at your new school with new friends. It feels strange here at Cole's without you and your charming jokes to keep me company but I know you would much prefer to stay at your school for the holiday seasons._

_Unfortunately, I cannot say everything I would like to through my letters but there is something I need to tell you in person when I come and meet you at Kings Cross, though don't be too cross at me – It was a promise I had to keep._

_Miss Greene_

Lyra frowned and felt awfully guilty for not writing to her favourite muggle in the whole world. She folded the letter up neatly and tucked it into her trunk for her attention later. She ripped open the next letter and recognised the handwriting instantly as Hermione's.

_Dear Lyra,_

_Merry Christmas! I'm so sorry I couldn't be there to celebrate it with you but Mum and Dad were very anxious for me to return home for Christmas. I do hope Harry has calmed down on his search for Flamel but if he hasn't, give him a talking to from me, he needs to rest!_

_Thank you so much for my present! It must have been an awful lot of trouble to find but Dad said that you would have appreciated my face when I opened it. I left your present underneath the tree in the common room as it wouldn't have been able to been flown through Owl Post._

_See you soon and don't get into any more trouble!_

_Love Hermione_

The other two letters were from Hagrid and Professor Dumbledore, both wishing her a pleasant Christmas along with two other gifts – Homemade cakes and a small metal charm in the shape of an owl from Hagrid (Lyra once again had to wipe a tear away) and a pair of incredibly fluffy socks from Dumbledore. She wasn't sure whether every student received a present from the headmaster so she slipped the socks on and kept quiet about the sender. She stared at her new presents – she had never gotten this many before.

"Lyra!" A chorus of voices shouted from the common room and Lyra smiled, slipping on her dressing gown and running down there. She was hit with a face full of mulled spices and aromatic smells that simply screamed 'Christmas'. The Twins were lying on the sofa with huge grins as they threw firecrackers at Percy Weasley who refused to put on a thick knitted sweater and Ron and Harry were grinning at Lyra, offering her a mince pie.

"Merry Christmas!" She shouted and aimed a particularly large cracker that she bought off of Lee Jordan towards the Twins. She pulled it and a bright red glittery powder spluttered over Fred and George, making them jump up from their lounging positions. The room echoed with laughter as the twins took in their new appearance in disbelief. Their skin was stained red from a stubborn powder that Lyra knew was similar to the type they used on her on Halloween.

"I cannot believe it-," Fred muttered, feeling his crimson face as it shone in the fire's light.

"Little Miss Blue Face actually pranked us back!" George finished, gaping at Lyra as she joined Ron and Harry with a smug smile on her face.

"Never underestimate your opponent boys!" She announced and began handing out her presents to the room.

* * *

Lyra sat on the sofa and stared at the fire. She was replaying the events of today through her head and it made her grin. Her fingers brushed her new navy sweater from Mrs Weasley, a gesture she received earlier that day and it was certainly unexpected.

The rest of the morning was spent in the common room, playing with new gifts or taking part in extreme Wizards Chess though Ron dominated the board the whole time. The Christmas dinner was scrumptious though Lyra thought she was sure that some of her clothes would never fit again but she soon worked it all off in a massive snowball fight against the rest of the students who had stayed for Christmas – Gryffindor and Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff and Slytherin.

The evening consisted of lazing around the fireplace with turkey sandwiches and slices of Christmas pudding along with a few games of Exploding Snap though the Twins added a twist – the loser had to eat vomit-flavoured Bertie Botts beans.

The firewood crackles calmed Lyra down as she hugged her knees and began to read her new book from Hermione about Wizarding Superstitions but a creak from behind caught her off guard. Freezing, Lyra glanced over her shoulder to see an empty room. She dismissed it and returned to her book but a sudden voice in her ear made her jump.

"Lyra!"

Lyra squealed and slapped the voice away but her hand came into contact with Harry's face. She bit her lip and stared as Harry's figure slipped into view when Lyra's slap made his new invisibility cloak slip. Harry rubbed his face and laughed, commenting on Lyra's reaction.

"I didn't know you were very jumpy," He laughed, tightening the cloak around him as Lyra put her book down and stood up, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And I didn't know you were going to scare me!" She whispered, hoping the Weasleys didn't come down to inspect what the scream was about. Harry shrugged and glanced at the tower's exit and Lyra caught his gaze.

"Where were you going, anyway?" She asked and Harry ruffled his messy hair.

"I was going to go to the library and do some more research on Flamel, do you wanna come?" Lyra bit her lip again and heard Hermione's voice replaying in her mind, warning her about letting Harry go overboard on Nicholas Flamel, but the prospect of exploring the castle using an invisibility cloak was too tempting to pass.

"Yeah, let's go."

It took the pair a few minutes to reach the library underneath the cloak but the journey felt longer as Harry thought it would be appropriate to share crude jokes in the hopes of making Lyra laugh loudly.

"Seriously, do you want to get us caught?" Lyra breathed as she eventually stopped her laughter. Harry pushed the library doors open and smirked, "What's life without a little risk? Come on, the restricted section is over here." Harry took her arm and led her straight into the locked area that Madam Pince, the librarian, refused any of the students into without permission from a professor.

Harry and Lyra began searching through the books to find anything that mentioned Nicholas Flamel yet it in the dim light, Lyra seemed to navigate through the shelves to find the perfect book.

"Harry!" She whispered, rushing over to him as he craned to reach a heavy book above his head, "Harry, I found him!" She waved the book excitedly in front of his face and she could see the outline of his enormous grin. Lyra thrusted the book onto the table and picked up the lamp, illuminating the page for her to read aloud to him.

"Nicholas Flamel, noted alchemist, is the only known maker of the _Philosophers Stone_!" She proclaimed and Harry frowned, staring at the ancient ink before him.

"Philosopher's Stone? What's that-," But Harry's question was cut off by a hair-raising scream that came form the book Harry had tried to reach for. Frightened by the sound, Lyra accidentally knocked over their only source of light. The smash of the lamp echoed and they knew that Filch would be on his way for sure. She shoved the book back into its home and bit her lip, turning to her best friend.

"Run!" Harry whispered, throwing the cloak over himself and Lyra before grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the library. The route they took was unknown to them both and they soon ended up in a corridor they had never seen before. Lyra rushed forward and yanked open a door, pulling Harry with her, and the door slid shut behind them.

"Do you think we lost him?" Harry panted, wiping beads of sweat from his face and Lyra nodded, leaning against the door as she tried to catch her breath.

"If we're lost, then he's bound to not know where we are," She suggested. Harry nodded and glanced around the disused classroom they had intruded in on. He began to walk over to the far side of the room whilst Lyra pressed her ear against the door, listening for movement but she heard none.

"Hey Lyra, come and look at this," Harry mumbled, beckoning her over to where he stood. Lyra followed him and stopped in front of the most magnificent mirror she had ever seen in her whole life. The top of the mirror's frame nearly brushed the ceiling while strange words outlined the bronze rim. Lyra's eyes were shining as she took in its beauty but Harry couldn't draw his eyes from the reflection.

"I… Lyra, can you see them?" Harry whispered and Lyra drew her eyes from the frame to the actual mirror. She felt her lungs deflate as she saw that her reflection wasn't alone. A crowd of people stood behind her, people that didn't exist in the room.

"I can see loads of people, are they ghosts?" She asked Harry but he narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"I don't think…" He trailed off and Lyra turned to see his eyes wide and bright.

"I can see my parents. Lyra, can you see yours?" He breathed and Lyra winced. She bit her lip hard and suddenly felt terrified to look back into the intricate mirror. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned back yet her eyes inched open at the thought of seeing her parents for the first time.

There they stood. Her heart stopped and her stomach twirled when she saw them, it must have been them. A tall youthful man with a handsome smile and dark hair stared back but Lyra noticed his eyes – they were her eyes. He touched her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze though it pained her so much that she couldn't feel it. The young woman beside her father was beautiful and radiant. Her thick brown hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves and her full lips pulled up into a warm smile. Lyra's grey eyes began to prickle with tears but she wiped them away quickly before Harry could spot them.

She continued to stare into the mirror as more people seemed to stand out in front of Lyra's eyes. They must have been relatives as they all sported similar features; the same freckles, the same grey eyes and even the same lip-biting habit. Lyra couldn't draw her eyes away from the parents she had never known and it broke her heart to know that they weren't really there with her.

"Harry, we should go," She croaked and searched the air beside her for his hand.

"Why? Lyra, I've never seen my family before and this seems to be the only chance I have-," He protested but Lyra shook her head and dragged him away, forcing herself not to cry.

"No, this is bad. That mirror is _bad._ We can't stay here for long… Please, let's go," She whispered, staring Harry straight in the eye. His own emerald pair glistened for a moment before he nodded. His fingers squeezed her hand as he wrapped the cloak around their bodies once more.

"You're right, let's go."


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you to ****_Amyb11 _****for the favourite! All reviews are extremely helpful, thanks!**

**Also, make sure to check out the next story - Periculum - which skips to Lyra's fourth year. Believe me, you are not going to expect what will happen... :)**

* * *

_Months later…_

"He's gone?!" The four Gryffindors exclaimed, staring at Professor McGonagall as she stood in the first floor courtyard holding a pile of essays to mark.

Over the past months, Harry, Lyra, Ron and Hermione had tracked down the existence of the Philosophers Stone and all they knew was that Severus Snape was going to steal it. The only person they knew who could stop it all was Dumbledore who was nowhere to be seen.

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore has been called to the Ministry of Magic for an important meeting. Now, forget about the Stone and go back to the Gryffindor common room," She gave them a long, piercing stare, "Please." The four watched as their head of house stalked off, muttering lowly to herself about what had just happened and Lyra bit her lip, loosening her scarlet and gold tie that threatened to suffocate her.

"We've got to stop Snape from stealing the Stone," Harry muttered, staying close to the four of them, "If we don't then… I don't really want to think about it." Ron gulped and looked at Hermione, worried about what could happen if the Stone was in Snape's hands. The four looked at each other for a few seconds but just as Lyra opened her mouth, Professor Snape appeared from around a corridor corner and his black eyes landed on theirs.

The four stared at Snape as he narrowed his eyes and slowly walked over, his black robes billowing in the slight breeze. Lyra closed her mouth and avoided all eye contact with the Potions Master because somehow, she knew that he knew all about their little investigation.

"What are you four doing here?" He asked with his voice deep and gruff. Lyra couldn't help herself.

"We go to school here, Professor, if you didn't know-,"

"I didn't ask for a sarcastic response, Black," He spat, "I was merely stating that it is strange to be inside on such a warm day. People might think you're up to something." He glared at them all before walking off, leaving them to their silence.

"What a git," Lyra mumbled and Harry nodded.

"That's it, we gotta go and stop him tonight."

* * *

Lyra sat in the common room, staring at a textbook open in her lap without reading it. She felt Hermione fidget beside her as the last person finally retired from the common room, slowly walking to their dormitory. As they heard the distant dorm room door slam, the two girls ran over towards the first year boys' dorm to get Harry and Ron. They knew if they only two sat in the common room, it would look less suspicious.

"Have you got the cloak?" Hermione whispered as the lights in the room faded into a dim darkness, only the dying fire and moonlight igniting their path. Harry nodded and showed the pair the glistening of his invisibility cloak but a sudden voice made them jump.

"You're sneaking out again, aren't you?" Neville appeared from behind one of the armchairs with a frown. Ron stepped forward, urging Neville to go to bed. Lyra thought back to the night she was caught out of bed with Harry and Hermione after handing Norbert the Dragon over to Charlie Weasley. She bit her lip and interjected into the row.

"Neville, listen. We're really sorry that we lost Gryffindor all of those house points, we really are but we need to go out tonight. We'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone about it," She tried to persuade him and Neville slowly lowered his fists.

"But I can't let you. I need to start standing up against people and not let them walk all over me because I'm sick and tired of it," Neville moaned and Ron huffed.

"Yeah, but you don't need to stand up to us!"

Lyra turned to Hermione who had pulled her wand out from her pocket. It took Lyra a second to grab one of the pillows from the scarlet sofa and slip it behind Neville, making sure that it was near enough for him to land on. Hermione noted her move and nodded.

"Neville, we really are sorry – _Pertrificus Totalus!_" She cried and Neville's limbs sprang to his sides and he froze. Tipping backwards, Neville fell hard on the floor but luckily the pillows softened his landing.

"Good aim," Harry muttered in a daze of watching Neville fall and Hermione tucked her wand back into her pocket.

"Come on, let's go."

It didn't take long for the four Gryffindors to sneak into Fluffy's corridor where the trapdoor leading to the Philosophers Stone but it seemed as if Fluffy was already fast asleep. His rough snores echoed around the room and the four let out a large breath of relief. At least they didn't have to charm the beast since they didn't have anything musical on hand at the time.

"Snape's already been here, look at the harp," Harry announced, glancing at a glorious harp that played in the corner of the room and Lyra crept forward, inspecting the gigantic door's paw.

"The trapdoors here, help me move its paw-,"

"I'll do it!" Ron finished eagerly. He grabbed his wand and coughed, pointing it at the large steel grey paw, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_"

The paw shook and barely rose off of the trapdoor, allowing Lyra and Harry to push the paw away with ease. Hermione watched with a proud smile as Ron grinned at his achievement.

Harry lifted the trapdoor open and the four stared down into it, letting a cold air brush over their flustered faces.

"Whose going first?" Hermione asked and Lyra bit her lip.

"I'll go, I don't mind jumping into a completely black hole with no idea of its depth or what could be at the bottom." The others looked at her and Harry shook his head.

"No, let me go first."

"Why you? I want to go first," Lyra interrupted and Harry frowned.

"I'm not letting you go first, you could hurt yourself and-,"

"Guys, shut up! The harps stopped playing!" Ron cried and the four turned around to see Fluffy rear his three heads, all six eyes snapping open and staring straight at them.

"JUMP!" Harry shouted and he threw himself into the hole but his arm grabbed Lyra's and pulled her in afterwards. She latched onto Hermione and Ron, forcing the pair to follow her without a seconds breath.

The wind rushed past their ears and they could see the square hole of light above them disappear the further they travelled. Lyra knew it must have been deep under the school as the air grew colder and thicker with moisture.

Suddenly, they landed in a thick pile of strange rubber. Lyra ran her hands along a particular area of rubber and it began to slither underneath her fingertips. She froze and gasped, jumping up as she realised it wasn't rubber, it was slimy plant vines.

"Oh no! This is Devils Snare!" She heard Hermione call out from across the large, echoing room and the girls edged their way to the side of the room. Lyra felt her fingers brush the moist brick walls but the cries from Harry and Ron told her that they weren't so lucky.

"The plant… It's strangling me!" Ron screamed and Hermione panicked. She felt the ground around her as Lyra rushed towards her, illuminating the tip of her wand so she could examine the scene around her. Two figures were slowly sinking in a gigantic mess of dark green thorny vines that seemed to pulse. Hermione, beside her, sobbed as she searched for her missing wand. It had dropped out of her pocket during the fall.

"Help us!" Harry shouted but his voice was obviously weaker due to his suffocation. Lyra bit her lip and grabbed Hermione, pulling her off the ground.

"What's the spell, Hermione?! The sunlight spell, I don't know it!" Lyra cried, shaking her friend but Hermione was beyond co-operation. Her hyperventilation had grown worse and her whole body was racked with howls.

"I don't know! I can't remember it!" She babbled and Lyra forced Hermione to sit against the wall to focus on her breathing. Lyra faced Harry and Ron and groaned, shoving her wand into her pocket. Her shaking hands rolled up her sleeves, and she was now focusing on how to force her power out of herself. She knew for sure it would appear if she grew angry but this wasn't the right situation.

"Do something, Lyra!" Hermione cried, wiping her eyes free from tears and Lyra squeezed her eyes shut, straining hard for the memories to hit her. She thought of the torments from the muggles about her powers, the constant nickname of 'freak', her isolation and abuse-

"It's working!"

Lyra's eyes tore open and she saw the heat and light force the Devils Snare to recoil, freeing Harry and Ron from its grips. They struggled to their feet and ran over, pulling Lyra and Hermione from the room and into a thin stone walkway that led further into the abyss.

"Thank you," Harry whispered, still breathless from his suffocation and Lyra nodded, letting the tightness in her chest relax from the strain. Ron turned to Hermione and handed her the lost wand but this gesture brought on another wave of tears.

"I'm so sorry, I won't ever lose my head like that again," She blubbered but Lyra draped her arm over Hermione's shoulders to help lead her towards the direction that Harry and Ron had wandered off to.

"Don't worry, it happens to the best of us," She murmured and Hermione nodded, wiping her face. Her brown eyes caught Lyra's grey ones and she smiled.

"Thank you."

* * *

Hermione's face drained little colour she had left, "There's only enough for one to go forwards and one to go back."

Lyra, Harry and Hermione stood in the small room that held a cracked stone table full of potions. Hermione held in one hand a small phial full of purple potion and a thin glass tube full of an icy blue liquid. Lyra bit her lip and snatched the blue potion from Hermione and thrusting it into Harry's hands.

They began to protest at the result but Lyra grabbed her wand and pointed it at the pair, "Drink it or regret it."

"But-," Hermione began and Lyra shook her head.

"No. You need to get Ron and go to Dumbledore, use Apollo to send a letter. We need his help as much as we need to get to Snape before it's too late. And Harry," Lyra turned around to face the boy who was gawking at her, his green eyes poignant, "You're the only one who can stop that greasy git from getting the Stone."

Hermione swallowed the potion and shivered before rushing back to help Ron. Harry uncorked the potion and winced, glancing at Lyra once more.

"Are you sure-,"

"Yes! Now go!" Harry gulped the potion and groaned, letting the strange sensation drip through his system but he couldn't leave without thanking Lyra. He pulled her into a quick hug but let her go as if it hadn't happened. Lyra smiled at his awkward hug but she welcomed him nonetheless.

"Potter, go now!" Lyra warned and Harry smirked.

"Alright Black, I'm going!" He murmured, imitating Snape's droning voice and he disappeared through the door of flames. The room fell silent except for the crackle of the artificial fire around her. Lyra bit her lip and began to pace around the room, her eyes occasionally flicking towards the fire that Harry had walked through. Her agitation had made her wince whenever she thought she heard movement but it wasn't long until she heard the first sign of danger.

Harry's scream made Lyra gasp and she rushed over to the door, barely moving back in time before she got burnt. His voice echoed inside her head and it drove her insane – she had to help him.

"Fire or no fire," She mumbled before taking a run up at the flames. Her body passed through the fire and the scolding from the heat was instant. She cried out in pain as the fire licked her skin, making her sizzle at the contact. She felt sore and weak when she reached the other side and her vision was blurred and milky. It was no ordinary fire.

Lyra found a wide set of stairs and she stumbled down them, reaching for something to hold onto but nothing came into use. She eventually reached the bottom and witnessed Harry backing away from Professor Quirrell. Lyra's jaw dropped as she edged closer, staring not only at her Defence professor but the distorted face on the back of his head. The pair of red eyes caught her own grey ones and she felt the terror fill her up when the mouth curled into an ugly smile. She guessed that it was the face of Lord Voldemort

"We have a visitor, Quirrell," A sharp voice announced and it chilled Lyra right to her core. She limped forward and attempted to ignore the blood burning blisters that began to torture her with every move she made.

"Potter, you're little friend Black has come to save you," Quirrell spat, lunging forward and grasping Harry by the throat. Lyra rushed as fast as her body allowed her to without crippling into a heap on the stone floor.

"Lyra Black? My, my…" Lord Voldemort hissed and Harry turned his head to catch her attention.

"The Stone… Get the Stone!" He managed to yell and Lyra searched the ground to see a ruby stone lying on the steps before her, glistening in the firelight. She ran forward, scooping the Stone up into her hands but as soon as she looked up, Quirrell was charging towards her with his hands stretched out, his face twisted in a gleeful rage.

"Give me the Stone!" He bellowed and Lyra ducked beneath his outstretched arm and leapt down into the centre of the room. It took her a few seconds to register the magnificent mirror that she had used on Christmas Day but a hand yanked a handful of her hair and pulled her backwards. She felt the air leave her lungs when she slammed into the floor but she made sure her fingers were still wrapped around the Philosophers Stone.

"Black, let us have the Stone and we will let your wildest dreams come true!" Voldemort jeered and Lyra shook her head, crawling back to her feet but a lump grew in her throat when she turned to see two familiar figures stare back in the mirror. She took a deep breath and gripped the Stone tighter as Voldemort glared back, his crimson eyes scorching.

"Get her – _Crucio_."

Quirrell pulled out his wand and shot a curse at Lyra and she collapsed onto the floor with a hair-raising scream but Harry tried to get to her before the man with two faces could. Lyra was desperate to overcome the spasms of excruciating pain but it disappeared quicker than it came. She was lying on the floor, breathing heavily and staring into the mirror. She reached around for the Stone but she couldn't find it.

"I've got it, Master!" Quirrell cried, thrusting the Stone into the air in joy. Both Lyra and Harry ran over and launched themselves at Quirrell but his attention turned to Lyra first. He grabbed her by the neck and threw her through the air, catching her off guard. Her body slammed into the mirror and the shining surface cracked beneath her. She fell into a heap on the floor like a broken puppet but a shard of the shattered mirror fell on top of her, slicing her cheek as it fell.

She glanced down at the shard but the dizziness from an oncoming concussion made it harder for her to concentrate. All she saw was her grey eyes stare back through the mirror but before she knew it, Lyra blacked out.

* * *

The first thing Lyra thought of when she woke up was how to get rid of the thumping pain inside her head and the searing along her skin. She moaned and pressed a hand to her head, trying to relieve some of the pain but it didn't work. Her eyes inspected the room and she figured out she was lying in the immaculate Hospital Wing. She struggled to sit up properly but a set of footsteps from her right drew her attention to a visitor.

"Good afternoon Lyra," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile as he walked over and took a seat beside her bed. Lyra blinked and watched as the Headmaster settled himself into the chair and gazed at her.

"How are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked and Lyra shrugged, itching her tender skin.

"Sore," She admitted and Dumbledore nodded, inspecting her red arms and face as the blisters were slowly blending into the natural colour of her skin. Lyra blushed and waited for him to mention the Philosophers Stone and he certainly did not avoid the subject like she expected.

"That was a very brave thing you did down in the trapdoor," He quipped and Lyra nodded, awkwardly scratching her head.

"Harry would have done the same thing for me," She mumbled and Dumbledore nodded, looking towards the boy who slept on peacefully beside her bed. She caught sight of him and winced at a nasty cut on his face.

"Sacrifice is something humans aren't wired to do," He informed her, "It's an ability many cannot comprehend but there are some who seem to struggle through and surrender, almost, without a second thought. Your bravery certainly paid off, Miss Black."

Lyra frowned, "Did it? Where is the Stone? Quirrell and Voldemort didn't get to it, did they?" Dumbledore shook his head and stroked his beard in thought. It amused him to see her concern for the Stone.

"The Stone is destroyed. Nicholas Flamel agreed to its destruction and he has enough time to put his deeds in order before he and his wife die. He too thought its annihilation was a good idea since Lord Voldemort nearly got a hold of it. Don't worry, my dear."

Lyra nodded and picked at the cover that lay over her knees, "What about Ron and Hermione? Are they ok?" Dumbledore nodded and intertwined his fingers loosely in his lap.

"They're both just fine. Speaking of which, I can happily award you 60 points for your astonishing act down under the trapdoor but I must add my thanks for the damage to the Mirror of Erised." A light switched on inside her head at the name. "_Erised_?"

"Yes, the beautiful mirror that you and Mr Potter had the pleasure of meeting at Christmas, I believe," Lyra's stomach cramped at his impeccable knowledge, "how did you-,"

"Being the Headmaster of an enchanted school has its perks. Now, the Mirror… I do thank you for destroying it but I know you didn't have the delight of seeing it in action?" Lyra shook her head but her teeth nibbled her lower lip at the image of her parents in her head.

"Harry managed to receive the stone through the mirror. He wanted the stone but he didn't want to use it – Brilliant, isn't it?"

Lyra nodded, "Yeah, who created it?"

Dumbledore's beard twitched, "I did." Lyra restrained herself from rolling her eyes but Dumbledore chuckled and stood up, beaming at the young Black girl. Sighing, he went to leave the room when Lyra spoke up again.

"I saw my parents in the Mirror."

Dumbledore halted and let out a small sigh. His hands ran down the grain of the entrance door but he willingly turned back to face Lyra. She was staring at Professor Dumbledore with her grey eyes sparkling. No matter how many times he saw them, he instantly saw past her and felt her father stare back. The chill that made his whole body shiver was a constant reminder of the past and it never failed to make him miserable.

"The Mirror shows us what we desire most no matter what it may be and the happiest man in the world would see nothing – The Mirror of Erised is merely a normal mirror. That Mirror is better off destroyed as it can drive a sane man to insanity." Lyra nodded and felt her bottom lip wobble. She bit it, keeping it steady, and looked at Dumbledore with an apprehensive smile. Her insides felt colder than ice and her chest tightened under a sudden high pressure.

"Ok, Professor," She mumbled and Dumbledore smiled.

"I shall see you at the End of Term feast tomorrow – Stay safe." Without so much as another smile, Professor Dumbledore left Lyra to her thoughts but the pulsing of blood through her head made her extremely sleepy. 

* * *

"Gryffindor wins the House Cup!" Professor Dumbledore announced and the room erupted into a humongous scream. Lyra had to cover her ears at first from the sheer pitch of the celebrations.

"Winners! Winners!" The Weasley Twins and Lee Jordan chanted, climbing up onto their benches and Lyra laughed, joining them as they stood above all of the students. She glanced over towards the Slytherin table and saw Draco Malfoy stare back with an expression that could rival a lemon. Lyra grinned and screamed louder, clapping and whistling along with the others.

It took a while for the students to file out of the Great Hall, most of them still cheering for the Lion's success. Lyra grinned and rushed out of the hall with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"This has been the best year of my life," She sighed, draping her arm over Hermione's shoulder. Harry and Ron agreed, reliving their favourite parts of the year as the four followed the rest of their house out of the castle and into the grounds. Lines of horseless carriages were waiting for them on the dirt path and the four of them clambered into one. Lyra winced as she sat down as her red skin was still injured from the fire though Madam Pomfrey promised the inflammation would go down over the next couple of days.

"Although I missed the Quidditch Final, this year certainly was brilliant," Harry concluded as the four chose themselves a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Lyra nodded and shut the door behind her. She collapsed onto the seat beside Harry and watched as the train began to pick up speed. Harry shuffled closer to her and pulled out a thick leather book from his trunk that sat above his head.

"Hagrid gave this to me just before we boarded, isn't it cool?" He sighed, flicking through the photo album, showing Lyra the wizarding photos of his mysterious childhood as the photos waved back. Lyra smiled but her breath hitched when he stopped on a particular picture of his parent's wedding. She could pick out who the Potters were instantly as Mr Potter looked exactly like Harry though Mrs Potter had Harry's almond emerald eyes. She grinned and looked past the cheerful couple and her eyes landed on a familiar couple in the background.

"Harry, those are my parents!" Lyra gasped, jabbing her finger at the picture and Harry gazed at the young couple who were laughing and cheering for the newlyweds. Harry grinned and the pair sat for a while, ignoring the world as they stared at the pictures. It gave Lyra a strange warmth inside her chest.

After many games of Exploding Snap and Wizards Chess, the Hogwarts Express arrived at platform nine and three quarters. Ron bounded out of the door and dragged his best friends out to meet his mother and father but unfortunately, Lyra never made it that far.

"Miss Greene!"

Lyra grinned and ran over to her favourite carer, throwing her arms around the muggle's shoulders. Miss Greene laughed and hugged Lyra back, kissing her hair gently as she welcomed her back to the Muggle World.

"I've missed you so much, how was Hogwarts?!"

"Oh, it was-," Lyra froze and frowned, staring at her carer, "How do you know about Hogwarts?"

Miss Greene winced and sighed, brushing her hair out of her eyes, "Now Lyra, you promise not to get angry with me-,"

"You know my real name? Did Professor Dumbledore tell you or…?"

Miss Greene pouted and stared her in the eye.

"I was sworn to secrecy, I couldn't tell you until you went to Hogwarts; that was the agreement. My parents are wizards but I'm a Squib," She caught Lyra's confused expression, "It's like the opposite of a muggleborn."

Lyra's jaw dropped and she frowned, turning away from her carer mumbling, "I'll be back in a minute."

She ran over to where Harry, Hermione and Ron were stood and Lyra hugged them all. She grinned and promised to write to them all and farewell wishes were exchanged. They swore they would visit each other before they returned to Hogwarts and Ron asked them to stay with him at the Burrow.

Lyra eventually joined Miss Greene with her trunk in one arm and Apollo in the other. Miss Greene was rather apprehensive as she returned to her but Lyra decided to let the grunge go – after all, the secret must have been for a good reason, right?

"Now, tell me all about your new friends," Greene sighed as they stepped out onto the cobbled streets and into the bright sunshine that soaked them through. Lyra grinned and nodded, launching into an elaborate explanation of her first year at Hogwarts. She knew this would be a glorious start to a new era.


End file.
